Man City vs Aston Villa LIVE: Premier League result and final score as Riyad Mahrez penalty wraps up win
Man City 3-1 Aston Villa: The hosts were dominant as goals from Rodri, Gundogan and Mahrez saw the champions close the gap to three points of Arsenal
Manchester City produced a defiant response to the Premier League’s charge sheet as they comfortably beat Aston Villa 3-1 to close to within three points of leaders Arsenal on Sunday.
Goals by Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez put the result beyond doubt by halftime as City got back on track following last weekend’s loss at Tottenham Hotspur.
With the club facing more than 100 charges relating to alleged financial misconduct the home fans were in belligerent mood at the Etihad Stadium with a series of ironic chants.
Pep Guardiola’s side needed only four minutes to take the lead when Rodri headed in Riyad Mahrez’s corner and they were cruising when Erling Haaland set up Gundogan in the 39th minute.
Villa were left with mission impossible when Mahrez tucked away a penalty in first-half stoppage time after Jacob Ramsey was adjudged to have tripped former Villa player Jack Grealish.
Ollie Watkins scored for the third successive league match to reduce the deficit on the hour mark and Villa also struck the woodwork through substitute Jhon Duran late on but City never looked in any real danger of dropping points.
.Earlier, late goals from Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho earned Manchester United a hard-fought 2-0 victory at Leeds. It meant United leap-frogged City into second place, but the Premier League champions then responded.
Will Haaland score again?
Erling Haaland has scored 18 of his 25 league goals this season at home; he’s just two short of equalling the Premier League record for home goals in a single campaign, set by both Cristiano Ronaldo and Fernando Torres in 2007/08.
Haaland’s 25 goals this season have earned City a league-high 18 points.
Aston Villa’s key man
Ollie Watkins has five goals in his five previous meetings against the league’s reigning champions. He is looking to score in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time.
Emery vs Guardiola
Unai Emery has yet to beat Pep Guardiola as a manager in 12 attempts with four draws and eight defeats.
But, under Emery, Aston Villa have scored at least once in each of their eight league matches.
Can they shock Man City today?
Man City vs Aston Villa
Manchester City’s four defeats in the league this season is already more than for the whole of the 2021/22 campaign.
This game will be Pep Guardiola’s 250th Premier League match in charge of City. He has won 183.
Man City vs Aston Villa
Aston Villa could win four consecutive away league games for the first time since a run of seven between 2008 and 2009. Only Manchester United and Arsenal have picked up more points than Villa’s 16 since the appointment of Unai Emery as head coach.
Man City vs Aston Villa
Manchester City have lost three of their last six matches in all competitions, as many as in their previous 27. City could lose consecutive Premier League games for the first time since December 2018.
Man City vs Aston Villa
Manchester City are on a run of 12 consecutive Premier League home victories over Aston Villa.
However, after a 1-1 draw at Villa Park earlier this season, the Villans could avoid defeat against City in both league meetings for the first time since 2000-01.
FT Leeds 0-2 Man Utd
That defeat for Leeds means they’re hovering on the edge of the relegation zone. If Everton defeat Liverpool in the Merseyside derby tomorrow night then the Whites will drop into the bottom three.
For now Manchester United are up to second in the table but they’ll lose that spot if Manchester City avoid losing to Aston Villa in the second Premier League game of the day.
Kick off for that one is just over half an hour away.
Full-time: Leeds 0-2 Man Utd
90+4 mins: It was a tough outing for Manchester United who had to keep an aggressive and determined Leeds at bay for the majority of the game.
The home side ran out of gas towards the end of the game which allowed Marcus Rashford to get on the end of a Luke Shaw cross to head Man Utd in front.
Alejandro Garnacho came off the bench to add a second and secure all three points for the visiting team. Erik ten Hag’s men move up to second in the table and just five points behind leaders Arsenal.
Leeds 0-2 Man Utd
90 mins: Disallowed goal! Bruno Fernandes slides the ball in behind the Leeds defence and plays Marcus Rashford inot the box. He collects the ball and smokes it past Illan Meslier to score but the offside flag goes up.
VAR takes a look and confirms the decision. There’s going to be four minutes of added time to play.
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