Very rarely are the Treble winners rattled quite like this. But that is what Aston Villa do to teams under Unai Emery. Especially here, especially on an occasion.
Manchester City almost escaped. They would have escaped big time, really. It was nothing to do with complacency or a lack of drive or an elongated six-month hangover, the pattern of this was largely about Villa. Too direct, too sharp.
Facing this team, in this ground, with a full complement is hard enough at the moment, never mind with a few of the bigger names missing and too many others attempting to find their way back into some sort of groove after injuries or dips in form.
They were never hanging on. The pressure became too great, and this is now City’s worst run with Pep Guardiola at the helm. Four without a victory, six points behind leaders Arsenal. They’ve come back from more precarious positions but it will be some test. Again, they lost without Rodri – all three defeats this term when he’s been suspended.
Rodri might have stopped Leon Bailey as he galloped towards Ederson with 16 minutes left. Instead, a vacancy and one Bailey filled and then some.
Leon Bailey’s late strike sealed victory for Aston Villa against Manchester City on Wednesday
Bailey fired Villa ahead in the 74th minute with the hosts then holding out until full-time
Whether Guardiola was passing comment on the porous state of a team that has for so long defined itself by doing the defensive stuff with such enthusiastic excellence, or instead the upward mobility and home form of his hosts, City were a back five out of possession. It needs less than a hand to count the amount of times that has happened with the Catalan in charge.
John Stones mastered the osmosis of his role long ago so the switch from four to five when the ball was with claret didn’t look laboured. But that the five was apparent, whatever Guardiola’s reasons, paid serious credit to Unai Emery.
Especially at this old place. Villa went into last night in search of equalling a club record 14 consecutive home league wins, set in 1903. And, significantly more importantly, hopping over City into third as the idea of Champions League football appears increasingly more realistic. If not this year, then soon.
There felt something of a point to be made by Villa, with City wounded and vulnerable. The opening few minutes, a sustained onslaught, was to be expected and Guardiola watched arms crossed as his side kept themselves afloat. The cheers when Erling Haaland tracked back towards his own box, only to then hoof aimlessly to halfway, told something of a story.
John McGinn’s clever lofted cross-field pass caught out a dozy Josko Gvardiol, only for Leon Bailey to locate Ederson’s palms. Ederson then superbly diverted a Pau Torres curling effort wide and later performed similar from Bailey.
Bailey stayed very wide on the right, Emery identifying Gvardiol as somebody to isolate. Quick and with more energy, Villa buzzed with purpose, Bailey volleying over a Lucas Digne cross.
Yet City will feel they ought to have led – especially as both chances fell to Haaland. Phil Foden, back out on the left wing, somehow managed to both drive and glide infield past three markers, sliding the Norwegian in.
Emiliano Martinez flung himself to his left, Bernardo Silva picking up the seconds. Haaland could not convert Silva’s subsequent floated centre.
Erling Haaland failed to forge a goal that would have resulted in City avoiding defeat on the road
Pep Guardiola’s reigning Premier League champions have now dropped to fourth in the league
Generally, though, Villa were forcing City into the last ditch. Douglas Luiz had one header in the net, only for Digne to have run it out of play first. None of the champions appeared comfortable, at ease with the shape or those around them. Without the suspended Rodri, there was not the man to slow this all down. Nobody to put their foot on the ball. Through necessity, Guardiola picked a team of runners.
The only one who might dictate the tempo of a game, Silva, was stuck out on the wing. Again, through necessity. The 13 first-half shots on Ederson’s goal was more than a Guardiola team has ever conceded. A startling statistic that goes further to contextualise where these two are currently at.
Victory ensured Villa equalled a club record 14 consecutive home league wins
Unai Emery’s high-flying Villa side leapfrogged City to climb to third in the Premier League
Guardiola had obviously grown concern at how Villa were ransacking City through the middle of the park and switched Rico Lewis from a central berth to the right. The move finally allowed Silva the opportunity to start roaming and recycling, to at least create the illusion that City had any control of this.
There was very little by way of changes to be made either, with both Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish out through injury and suspension. All the big hitters were on the pitch or elsewhere. The biggest, Kevin De Bruyne, might have been named in the Club World Cup squad yesterday but is not expected to feature until January.
Silva was the latest guilty of surrendering possession in a dangerous position, McGinn shovelling wide when wriggling free of Ruben Dias. Guardiola sent for Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes, trying to manufacture more control but with the running threat of the ex-Wolves man.
Then Bailey’s moment. Embarrassing Gvardiol – not for the first time – and Dias’ attempted block looped over his goalkeeper.
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