"City" lost for the first time, "Arsenal" caught up
Having maintained a winning streak since the start of the season, the "Cityzens" lost in the match where Abdukodir Khusanov returned to the starting lineup, and "Arsenal" took advantage of it; "Chelsea" lost to "Tottenham" in the derby match where Cole Palmer received a red card: for the "Spurs", this was only their second victory at Chelsea's home ground since the start of the EPL.
"City" lost for the first time, "Arsenal" caught up
"Aston Villa" – "Manchester City" 2:1
Goals:
Jackson, 6 (1:0). Haaland, 52 (1:1). Jackson, 60 (2:1)
"Aston Villa": Suzuki, Lindelöf, Pau Torres, Maatsen, Cash, Kamara, Gomes (Goretzka, 82), McGinn (Barkley, 66), Manzambi (Buendía, 66), Alisson (Mbaye, 59), Jackson (Madjo, 82)
"Manchester City": Donnarumma, Rúben Dias, Guéhi (Lewis, 46), Gvardiol, Khusanov, Anderson, Fernandes, Cherki (Foden, 46), Doku, Ndiaye (Makaidoo, 69), Haaland
Yellow cards: Manzambi, 54. Cash, 55. Madjo, 83. Buendía, 90+5, 90 – Guéhi, 32. Cherki, 38. Anderson, 74. Makaidoo, 76
The team managed by Unai Emery was unable to make transfers last summer due to financial difficulties and had a very poor start to the season. However, they ultimately won the Europa League and secured a place in the Champions League. This summer, leading players like Watkins, Rogers, Tielemans, Martínez, and Konsa left the squad, resulting in another poor start for the Birmingham side — just one draw in their first four matches. But the revamped "Aston Villa" gradually recovered, lightness appeared in the team's play, and they achieved three wins and a draw in their next four matches.
Nicolas Jackson, who has transformed into a super-striker under Emery, became the main hero of Saturday evening's match. First, early in the game, Guéhi lost the ball near his own penalty area, and the striker, receiving a pass from McGinn, beat Anderson with a dummy inside the box and sent an unstoppable shot under the crossbar.
However, a quick goal guaranteed nothing against "Manchester City". Throughout the first half, Ndiaye caused havoc in the hosts' defense, and even Abdukodir Khusanov, who returned to the starting lineup on this day, regularly pushed forward and took an active part in attacks, but Suzuki and the goalpost preserved the narrow lead.
At the start of the second half, it was Iliman's cross from the flank that Haaland, jumping highest in the center of the penalty area, headed into the net to equalize the score. The guests could have taken the lead in the very next attack, but Suzuki denied Gvardiol from close range. Shortly after, Doku also failed to make the most of his chance, after which the initiative returned to "Villa". In the 60th minute, Jackson passed the ball to the overlapping Mbaye on the right flank, ran into the penalty box, and directed the returned ball into the net. Donnarumma let in a shot that went straight at him.