Manchester City suffered their first defeat in ten matches across all competitions, losing 1-0 to Aston Villa at Villa Park on Sunday. The pivotal goal was scored by Matty Cash, marking Villa’s fourth consecutive victory in the Premier League and leaving Manchester City six points adrift of league leaders Arsenal after nine matches.
Aston Villa has been on an impressive run, remaining unbeaten in their last six league games, now just one point below City in the standings. Cash reflected on the importance of the team’s focus on set-pieces, stating, “The last month we’ve been really good. Defensively really good. We’ve just stuck together as a group, and at Villa Park, they’re always behind us.” This teamwork has clearly paid off.
The match saw early activity from both teams, with City’s Tijjani Reijnders firing an effort over the bar before Villa struck first in the 19th minute. A corner taken by Emiliano Buendia found Cash, who netted with a precise left-footed shot into the bottom corner, leaving City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma with no chance.
City’s star striker Erling Haaland, having been in formidable form prior to this match, nearly leveled the score just moments later, but Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez made a crucial save. Following a setback, Villa kept the pressure on City, even with Buendia sidelined due to injury, as they sought to extend their lead.
In the second half, Villa’s defense stood strong against a City side that created numerous opportunities but struggled to capitalize. Haaland had a late goal disallowed for offside, underscoring a frustrating afternoon for the visitors.
City captain Bernardo Silva acknowledged the team’s faults, pointing out, “Our pressing was really bad, we arrived two seconds late to every duel.” Nevertheless, he remained optimistic about the season’s duration, saying, “It’s still a long way to go… we’d love to be at the top but we’re not.”
Looking ahead, Manchester City will aim to bounce back in their League Cup match against Swansea City on Wednesday, while Aston Villa prepares for a tough league clash against defending champions Liverpool on Saturday. Both teams are eager to sustain their positive momentum as the competitive Premier League season progresses.