Match ends, Aston Villa 1, Manchester City 2.
Aston VillaAston Villa1Man CityManchester City2
Manchester City moved closer to becoming Premier League champions after they beat Aston Villa in a match where both sides ended with 10 men.
City, playing for the first time since they signed up to the European Super League and then withdrew from the competition, had centre-half John Stones sent off just before the break for a knee-high challenge on Jacob Ramsey.
However, Villa wasted the man advantage when Matty Cash was dismissed 11 minutes into the second half following two bookings in the space of three minutes.
Villa went ahead after only 20 seconds as John McGinn guided a shot past Ederson following Ollie Watkins' low cross.
The impressive Phil Foden finished off a fine City team move to equalise before Rodri headed the visitors in front following Bernardo Silva's cross.
City led 2-1 when they went down to 10 men, but Villa could not capitalise on the extra player and then offered little threat when it was 10-a-side.
Pep Guardiola's team are 11 points clear of Manchester United and need eight points from their final five matches to become English champions for the third time in four seasons.
Stones will be suspended for Sunday's Carabao Cup final against Tottenham at Wembley as City, who are also in the Champions League semi-finals, aim to pick up the first of a potential three trophies this season.
A bad day for Stones, but his red does not cost City
Stones has been in fine form this season, making more Premier League appearances than he managed in 2019-20, with his performances earning an England recall after 16 months out of the national side.
However, with Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate in the stands, it was an evening to forget for the 26-year-old.
He was caught out in the first few seconds of the match when he failed to collect a long ball from England team-mate Tyrone Mings, enabling Watkins to set up McGinn for the joint quickest Premier League goal of the season.
Stones was then shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Ramsey near the halfway line and in front of the two dugouts.
After a check by the video assistant referee Jarred Gillett, on-field referee Peter Banks watched the incident on a pitchside monitor and showed the red card to Stones, although Guardiola was unhappy with the decision and remonstrated with the officials.
With a man advantage, Villa's Douglas Luiz curled a 25-yard effort straight at Ederson but the match swung back in City's favour following two Cash challenges on Foden, the second of which was a sliding challenge that wiped out the England midfielder close to the touchline.
From then on City were able to dominate possession and now only need three more league wins to become English champions for the seventh time in their history.
More to follow.
How to play
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key = Give it up = Pure perfection
Aston Villa
Starting XI
Avg
- Squad number26Player nameMartínezAverage rating
5.96
- Squad number2Player nameCashAverage rating
4.54
- Squad number4Player nameKonsaAverage rating
5.34
- Squad number5Player nameMingsAverage rating
5.31
- Squad number18Player nameTargettAverage rating
5.53
- Squad number19Player nameNakambaAverage rating
5.00
- Squad number15Player nameTraoréAverage rating
4.81
- Squad number7Player nameMcGinnAverage rating
6.25
- Squad number6Player nameDouglas LuizAverage rating
5.14
- Squad number41Player nameRamseyAverage rating
5.30
- Squad number11Player nameWatkinsAverage rating
5.95
Substitutes
Avg
- Squad number20Player nameBarkleyAverage rating
4.33
- Squad number21Player nameEl GhaziAverage rating
4.22
- Squad number39Player nameDavisAverage rating
4.68
Manchester City
Starting XI
Avg
Squad number31Player nameEdersonAverage rating6.52
Squad number2Player nameWalkerAverage rating6.56
Squad number5Player nameStonesAverage rating5.06
Squad number3Player nameRúben DiasAverage rating6.84
Squad number11Player nameZinchenkoAverage rating6.43
Squad number20Player nameBernardo SilvaAverage rating7.07
- Squad number16Player nameRodriAverage rating
6.96
Squad number8Player nameGündoganAverage rating6.99
Squad number26Player nameMahrezAverage rating6.96
Squad number9Player nameGabriel JesusAverage rating5.78
Squad number47Player nameFodenAverage rating8.34
Substitutes
Avg
Squad number14Player nameLaporteAverage rating6.71
Squad number25Player nameFernandinhoAverage rating6.05
Line-ups
Aston Villa
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 26Martínez
- 2CashBooked at 57mins
- 4Konsa
- 5Mings
- 18Targett
- 19NakambaSubstituted forBarkleyat 63'minutes
- 15TraoréSubstituted forEl Ghaziat 75'minutes
- 7McGinn
- 6Douglas Luiz
- 41RamseySubstituted forDavisat 45'minutes
- 11Watkins
Substitutes
- 1Heaton
- 3Taylor
- 20Barkley
- 21El Ghazi
- 22Engels
- 27El Mohamady
- 30Hause
- 39Davis
- 60Chukwuemeka
Man City
Formation 4-3-3
- 31Ederson
- 2Walker
- 5StonesBooked at 44mins
- 3Rúben Dias
- 11Zinchenko
- 20Bernardo Silva
- 16Rodri
- 8GündoganBooked at 44mins
- 26MahrezSubstituted forFernandinhoat 90'minutes
- 9Gabriel JesusSubstituted forLaporteat 45'minutes
- 47Foden
Substitutes
- 6Aké
- 7Sterling
- 13Steffen
- 14Laporte
- 21Torres
- 22Mendy
- 25Fernandinho
- 27Cancelo
- 50García
- Referee:
- Peter Bankes
Match Stats
Home TeamAston VillaAway TeamMan City
- Possession
- Home28%
- Away72%
- Shots
- Home8
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away3
- Corners
- Home1
- Away11
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away7
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Aston Villa 1, Manchester City 2.
Post update
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Matt Targett.
Substitution
Substitution, Manchester City. Fernandinho replaces Riyad Mahrez.
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Attempt missed. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Riyad Mahrez.
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Kyle Walker (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).
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Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Ezri Konsa Ngoyo.
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Rodrigo (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Keinan Davis (Aston Villa).
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Hand ball by John McGinn (Aston Villa).
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Phil Foden (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Ezri Konsa Ngoyo (Aston Villa).
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Attempt missed. Ilkay Gündogan (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.
Substitution
Substitution, Aston Villa. Anwar El Ghazi replaces Bertrand Traoré.
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Kyle Walker (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa).
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Attempt blocked. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ilkay Gündogan.
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Foul by Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City).
Post update
Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Comments
Join the conversation
Phil the main man Foden shining again with or without KDB.
He will be the key for the rest of the season
#ctid
City responded well though and kept on top of the game.
Thought City controlled and managed the game very well, whereas I thought Villa short of a dominant figure - Grealish the obvious missing one. Barclay looked a shadow of his best form when he came on.
Foden excellent. Both soft Red Cards
ESL IN THE BIN ✓ LOL
ctid
- Bob Shankly