Aston Villa secured an impressive and shocking 2-1 victory over Manchester City at Villa Park, thanks to two goals from Nicolas Jackson.
Erling Haaland scored for City, but Unai Emery’s side defended well to claim all three points and end Enzo Maresca’s run of seven consecutive Premier League wins.
The result was a major setback for City, while Villa continued to show their strength against one of the league’s leading teams. Jackson’s finishing and Villa’s organised defending proved decisive in an exciting contest.
Aston Villa made a fast start to the encounter and took the lead in the sixth minute. Nicolas Jackson punished a defensive mistake by Marc Guehi before finishing past Donnarumma.
The early goal gave Villa confidence, but Manchester City gradually took control of possession and pushed forward in search of an equaliser which couldn’t happen immediately.
Iliman Ndiaye was one of City’s biggest attacking threats in the first half. The winger struck the post in the 28th minute, coming close to bringing the visitors level.
City also had penalty appeals turned down after incidents involving Ndiaye and Villa defender Ian Maatsen. The referee and VAR did not award a penalty for the challenge on Ndiaye.
Villa continued to threaten on the counterattack. Alysson produced a dangerous run into the penalty area in the 40th minute, but Ruben Dias made an excellent recovery tackle to prevent him from getting a clear shot away.
Johan Manzambi also missed an opportunity when he sent a free-kick over the crossbar. Guehi was booked in the 32nd minute for fouling Jackson, while Cherki received a yellow card in the 38th minute for pulling back Manzambi.
Villa went into the break with a 1-0 lead despite spending long periods without the ball. They had to deal with a lot against Enzo Maresca’s side who kept knocking non-stop.
Manchester City made two changes at half-time, bringing on Phil Foden and Rico Lewis for Marc Guehi and Cherki as they needed to press more for the equalizer.
The changes helped City continue their search for an equaliser, and Erling Haaland delivered in the 52nd minute. Ndiaye created the goal with an excellent cross from the right.
After beating Manzambi with a stepover, he sent the ball towards the far post, where Haaland rose above Victor Lindelof and powered a downward header into the net.
City were back on level terms 1-1, and Villa suddenly faced greater pressure. However, Nicolas Jackson soon produced another important moment for the host.
Matty Cash was booked in the 55th minute, while Manzambi received a yellow card for delaying City’s restart in the 54th minute. Villa regained the lead in the 60th minute through Jackson, who completed his brace with a clinical first-time finish.
The move started when Jackson turned brilliantly near the halfway line and sent the ball out to substitute Ibrahim Mbaye on the right. Mbaye drove towards the penalty area before playing a low pass back to Jackson.
Jackson struck first time, and Donnarumma failed to keep the effort out as the ball went through him and into the net. Villa led 2-1, and City struggled to create enough clear chances to respond.
Josip Gvardiol tested Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki in the 56th minute, forcing an excellent save. Suzuki produced another important stop in the 68th minute after Gvardiol collected a loose ball following a deflected cross from Jeremy Doku.
Gvardiol also headed a corner wide in the 65th minute. Later, Foden’s long-range effort was blocked by Cash, while Doku fired a difficult volley wide.
City’s best late opportunity came in the 89th minute. Foden delivered a cross towards Haaland, whose powerful header was cleared by Ian Maatsen inside the six-yard box.
Haaland tried again in stoppage time, but Suzuki made a comfortable save. Emiliano Buendia received a yellow card for a foul on Rico Lewis in the 90th minute plus five.
Villa made late substitutions to protect their advantage and saw out the remaining minutes without conceding again. The final whistle confirmed a 2-1 victory for Aston Villa against Manchester City.
Nicolas Jackson was the standout performer with his two goals, while Mbaye’s contribution off the bench proved crucial. For Manchester City, Haaland’s goal was not enough to prevent defeat.
Villa’s sharp counterattacks, strong defensive work and Suzuki’s important saves helped Emery’s team secure a memorable home win. The host were able to put a stop to Enzo Maresca’s run this season in the Premier League.
