Aston Villa handed Manchester City their first defeat of the Premier League season with a 2-1 victory at Villa Park on Saturday, courtesy of a brace from Nicolas Jackson.
Jackson opened the scoring in the sixth minute after capitalising on a defensive error by Marc Guéhi, firing past Gianluigi Donnarumma to give Villa an early lead.
City responded after the break, with Erling Haaland heading home Iliman Ndiaye’s cross in the 52nd minute to level the score.
Villa restored their advantage eight minutes later when Jackson finished a move involving substitute Ibrahim Mbaye, scoring his second goal of the afternoon to put the hosts back in front.
Manchester City dominated possession with 52% of the ball and completed 457 passes, compared with Villa’s 48% possession and 435 passes. City also won nine corners to Villa’s four as they pushed for an equaliser.
However, Villa were more clinical in front of goal. The hosts registered 12 shots, five on target, while City managed 16 attempts, with three on target. Villa’s defensive organisation helped them withstand City’s pressure in the closing stages.
Haaland came close to rescuing a point late on, but Villa held firm to secure a significant victory against one of the league’s leading sides.
The result ends City’s unbeaten start to the league campaign. Villa also became the first team to win three consecutive Premier League matches against City since Liverpool in December 2016, and the first to win four successive home league games against them since Tottenham Hotspur in February 2023.
