Aston Villa 1-0 Manchester City (Bailey 74′)
VILLA PARK — It’s the joy of 14 for Aston Villa and Unai Emery as their richly-deserved victory takes them above Manchester City in the Premier League table. Not only is there a title race, for now they’re part of it.
And while that may not last long, these are the nights Villa fans will remember. Their home run stretches to a joint club record of 14 league wins, while at the 14th time of asking, Emery has finally got the better of Pep Guardiola.
It is a result celebrated as much in north London and Merseyside as it will be in the West Midlands. City are now six points adrift of Arsenal, four behind Liverpool, and for what it’s worth they’re now two off Villa as well.
Fortress Villa Park? That’s been the case this year, and if Arsenal’s last-gasp winners have been given the Mark of Champions seal of late, though it is still perhaps too early, what unfolds at this ground this week could well dictate which way the trophy goes.
City have lost for their part, again losing without Rodri, so it’s over to you, Arsenal, who play here on Saturday.
“Yeah, definitely,” Guardiola replied when asked if Villa can sustain a title challenge.
Few inside the Midlands club will be letting themselves get carried away, however, but in reducing City to just two shots all night, it is the lowest total ever seen by any Guardiola side in a domestic league.
Meanwhile, the 22 shots from Villa made for the joint-most a Guardiola side has ever faced – in this, his 535th league game as a coach.
On Tuesday, this pursuit of an unprecedented fourth straight top-flight title had Guardiola reminding Sky Sports trio Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville and Micah Richards of their own career near misses after they questioned whether City were getting complacent.
Three straight draws had reignited hopes – for the neutrals, plus Arsenal and Liverpool fans – of a title race, but Guardiola stressed he had seen enough in recent weeks to foresee another league triumph come May.
More confidence than arrogance, given their recent dominance, but initially Guardiola’s players failed to back up this claim when making a shaky start at Villa Park – the cobwebs still there and defensive frailties not quite sorted, despite the return of John Stones.
The pre-match pyrotechnics had geed up an already boisterous sell-out crowd as Villa’s players matched their supporters’ energy, but Ederson was on hand to deny Leon Bailey before making a fine diving save to tip Pau Torres’ effort away.
Then it was Emi Martinez’s turn down the other end, the Argentine making two saves in quick succession from Erling Haaland, the second in particular requiring strong hands to ensure the header did not go over the line.
Ederson was the busier of the two goalkeepers, though, next getting his fingertips to Bailey’s swerving strike, while the cry of “Come on City!” from the travelling fans just before the half-hour mark was more pleading in tone than we’ve grown accustomed to.
Like finding numbers on an Advent calendar, you didn’t know where Bailey would pop up next, and this time as he steamed through the middle he lacked the composure to keep his volley down. It was Villa’s 11th attempt inside 32 minutes, while City had been reduced to just those two Haaland chances.
A Douglas Luiz header was then chalked for offside just before half-time. Close, but no cigar, and that fear you’ll be punished for not taking your chances is only heightened against City.
City changes were not forthcoming at the break, and so the match resumed as per, Villa remaining on top and John McGinn the next to go close when turning the rusty Ruben Dias before Ederson appeared to get the slightest of touches to his low effort across goal.
On came Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes for City midway through the half, and then Oscar Bobb, but the tactical tweaks had little effect as Villa finally got the goal their performance deserve.
Bailey turned Josko Gvardiol inside then out, and was then the beneficiary of a Dias deflection in the 74th minute to leave Ederson helpless.
Luiz then hit the post but it mattered not. Villa are above City in the table, have solidified their top-four ambitions, and will fancy their chances against Arsenal next as well.