Aston Villa 1-2 Manchester City

Aston Villa pushed Manchester City all the way but fell to a 2-1 defeat at Villa Park.

Villa showed spirit and determination in abundance, remaining compact and resilient in defence and posing a creative threat in attack until the final whistle, but they were ultimately undone by the reigning Premier League champions.

Ruben Dias’ deflected strike from distance opened the scoring just prior to the half-hour mark, before Bernardo Silva’s sublime first-time volley following a swift City break doubled the visitors’ advantage ahead of half-time.

Ollie Watkins’ well-taken finish from Douglas Luiz’s corner early in the second half gave Villa hope of a fightback, his 20^th goal in a Villa shirt.

And substitute Carney Chukwuemeka went close to a leveller, denied by Ederson, but the Villans fell to their first defeat under Steven Gerrard.

Yet there can be plenty to be proud of heading into Sunday’s home clash against Leicester City as the Villans look to get back on track.

Luiz and Emi Buendía returned to Villa’s starting line-up as head coach Gerrard made two changes from Saturday’s impressive 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace.

History was not on Villa’s side heading into the encounter, having lost 12 of the last 14 Premier League meetings with City and 10 of the last 11 in all competitions.

And Emi Martínez had to be alert early on to parry from Joao Cancelo and Rodri as the visitors stamped their dominance on the opening exchanges.

Villa were looking to break on the counter-attack and Leon Bailey saw his shot blocked after good work from Watkins.

The hosts weathered the early City storm and were finding joy with pacy attacks from deep although the visitors broke the deadlock in the 27^th minute, Dias’ 25-yard strike from Raheem Sterling’s cut back taking a deflection off Bailey before beating Martínez.

Villa lost Bailey to injury shortly afterwards, replaced by Ashley Young, and were pushing for a route back into the game when City bagged their second just before the break.

It was the away side who found success on the counter, Fernandinho finding Gabriel Jesus out wide and he sent an inch-perfect cross in the penalty area for the onrushing Silva to slam home on the volley from 16 yards.

It established a 2-0 lead for City at the interval but Villa were back in it within two second-half minutes, Watkins providing a smart first-time finish, in off the near post, to Luiz’s low near-post corner, much to the delight of the Villa Park faithful, among whom was His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge.

Jesus saw his 20-yard volley from Riyad Mahrez’s corner deflect wide before Ezri Konsa saw penalty appeals waved away in front of the Holte End.

The hosts lost another player to injury in the 67^th minute, Matt Targett replaced by Chukwuemeka.

City forward Jesus was proving a constant threat and he sent an opening over the crossbar when well placed just eight yards out, while Ederson thwarted Chukwuemeka from close range after a neat throughball from Buendía as the game flowed from end to end.

Gerrard made his final change, introducing Morgan Sanson in place of Marvelous Nakamba, before City introduced former Villa captain Jack Grealish in the 87^th minute.

Villa continued to push for an equaliser, with four minutes added time, but it was not to be and, despite defeat, they were applauded off the pitch by the home support who fully recognised their efforts.