Man City 2 Aston Villa 1: Villa hit with late blow in quest for Champions League return

Just when it looked as though Villa were about to escape Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium for the first time since 2007 without defeat in a Premier League match, Matheus Nunes struck to earn the hosts a priceless 2-1 victory.

Marcus Rashford’s penalty, after Bernardo Silva had broken the deadlock, had looked to have earned Unai Emery’s team a valuable point from a scrappy affair which never properly caught fair.

But then Jeremy Doku got the better of fellow substitute Axel Disasi and with no Villa player able to cut out his cross, Nunes arrived to convert.

The win puts City four points ahead of Villa, with only four matches to play. How Emery’s men, who had arrived on a five-match winning streak, respond to this setback will be key to their hopes of securing a top-five finish.

Next up is the small matter of an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.

Rashford, preferred to Ollie Watkins up front, hit the post just 18 seconds into the game and then converted from the spot after Ruben Dias was adjudged to have fouled Jacob Ramsey following a VAR check.

The Manchester United loanee had chances to put Villa in front, though it was the hosts who bossed the ball, without seriously testing Emi Martinez other than Silva’s seventh minute opener, which the keeper could not keep out.

That, at least, was until Nunes struck at the death.

Villa, who arrived on a five-match winning streak, were unable to reach anywhere the same heights as Saturday’s 4-1 win over Newcastle.

It still looked like being enough to take a point for much of the night. Instead, this was a 15th straight league defeat at City.

Emery’s decision to start Rashford was inches from being justified inside 18 seconds. Martinez pumped a long ball forward, Tielemans wriggled free and found the striker, who twisted inside and out Dias before drilling a low shot against the base of the post, the ball flying back out and into the arms of Stefan Ortega.

Villa were bright but it was City who then led. Omar Marmoush drove inside Matty Cash and a flick on his pull back off Ezri Konsa saw the ball sit up perfectly for Silva. The shot was straight at Martinez and the keeper couldn’t keep it out.

City suddenly looked comfortable but Villa’s first chance to break brought trouble. Rashford raced into the home half and though he seemed to overrun the ball, Ramsey nipped in before being brought down by Dias. Referee Pawson, unbelievably, waved away penalty claims before changing his mind after VAR John Brooks suggested he check the monitor.

Rashford, with City fans behind the goal waving their phone lights in a bid to put him off, rolled his spot-kick into the opposite corner to which Ortega dived.

Guardiola was furious and booked for his protest. His team looked for a response but seemed to lack ideas. A Marmoush header over the bar from Nico O’Reilly’s cross was the most dangerous moment for Villa’s defence.

The visitors were threatening on the occasions they did attack and when a fine pass from Digne picked out the run of Rashford, he had only Ortega to beat. But he failed to make clean contact with the finish.

City continued to make most of the running early in the second half, only this time with a little more conviction. Villa had to defend a series of corners but it was from a quick break which James McAtee’s chip dropped just wide of the post.

Big chances were still coming the visitors’ way. A rapid break ended with Rashford running on to Tielemans’ through ball and rounding Ortega but from the tightest of angles he hit the side netting. 

Soon after McAtee had a far better sight at goal at the other end but made a complete hash of meeting O’Reilly’s cross.

Things were getting tense and Marmoush briefly thought he had put the hosts ahead with 10 minutes remaining, only for his celebration to be cut short by a raised flag.

Villa looked to be heading home with a valuable point only to be undone in the fourth of five minutes stoppage time.

Man City (4-2-3-1): Ortega, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Kovacic, Gundogan, McAtee (Doku 74), De Bruyne (Akanji 90+6), Silva, Marmoush Subs not used: Grealish, Nico, Savinho, Khusanov, Foden, Lewis, Carson (gk).

Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Cash (Disasi 61), Konsa, Torres, Digne, Onana (Asensio 76), Kamara, Rogers, Tielemans, Ramsey (McGinn 61), Rashford (Watkins 76) Subs not used: Barkley, Garcia, Malen, Maatsen, Olsen (gk).