Nicolas Jackson sinks Manchester City at Aston Villa
A 2-1 loss ends the club's seven-game winning streak and leaves their league title hopes dependent on Arsenal's results later Saturday.
By Hugo Cook ·
Manchester City lost its first Premier League match of the season on Saturday, falling 2-1 to Aston Villa at Villa Park. Nicolas Jackson scored both goals for the home side, extending the visitors' streak of defeats at this ground to four consecutive seasons.
The defeat ended a remarkable run for Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca. He had previously become the first manager to win his first seven Premier League matches after taking charge of a new club. That record now stops at seven wins before the first loss.
Aston Villa seized an early advantage just six minutes into the game. Marc Guehi made a heavy touch that fell to Jackson, who cut inside Elliott Anderson and blasted a high shot past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Manchester City dominated possession for much of the first half but struggled to break down Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki. Iliman Ndiaye, Rayan Cherki, and Abdukodir Khusanov all had shots saved, and Ndiaye also struck the post before halftime.
The deadlock broke in the 52nd minute when Erling Haaland headed in a cross from Ndiaye. The goal marked Haaland's 13th in his last 10 appearances this season. Minutes later, Josko Gvardiol had a fierce drive turned onto the crossbar by Suzuki, keeping Villa in the match.
Aston Villa restored their lead in the 60th minute. Ibrahim Mbaye found space behind the defense and crossed for Jackson, who placed a low shot that Donnarumma failed to stop. Manchester City pushed for an equalizer in the remaining minutes but could not find a way past Suzuki or the woodwork.
The result puts pressure on Arsenal, which can move to the top of the table on points if it defeats Everton at home later on Saturday. For Villa, the victory was its sixth in seven games across all competitions, lifting the team to sixth place in the league standings.
Manager Unai Emery has rebuilt the squad significantly since arriving four years ago, transforming the club into a Champions League contender. Six players who started the Europa League victory last year left during the summer transfer window. The new arrivals, including Jackson, Suzuki, Mbaye, and Johan Manzambi, are already delivering results after a slow start to the season. Manchester City, which is appealing a guilty verdict on more than 100 financial charges from 2009 to 2018, showed few signs of distraction, though two defensive errors proved costly.
Source: Al Jazeera
