Nicolas Jackson scored both goals as Aston Villa beat Manchester City 2-1 at Villa Park on 24 October, ending City's run of seven straight wins at the start of the Premier League season. Erling Haaland's header briefly brought City level, but Enzo Maresca's side were left with their first league defeat of the campaign.

How Villa won it

City paid for individual errors. In the sixth minute Marc Guéhi miscontrolled a pass from Rúben Dias, John McGinn picked up the loose ball and fed Jackson, who cut inside Elliot Anderson and fired high past Gianluigi Donnarumma, according to VnExpress.

City had plenty of the ball afterwards. Iliman Ndiaye hit a post and had a penalty appeal waved away, while goalkeeper Zion Suzuki denied Ndiaye and Rayan Cherki, The Guardian reported. Guéhi could not cope with Jackson's pace and power, was booked in the 32nd minute for pulling him down on the edge of the area and was replaced at half-time.

Early in the second half Ndiaye got the better of Ian Maatsen and found Haaland, who headed in from close range to make it 1-1. It was the Norwegian's 13th goal of the season. The Guardian timed the equaliser at 53 minutes; Bongda24h had it a minute earlier.

Villa soon went back in front. Jackson played the ball out to substitute Ibrahim Mbaye and ran on to the return cross, and his shot slipped under Donnarumma, who The Guardian said should have done better. Dân trí and Bongda24h put the winner in the 60th minute.

City sent on Phil Foden, Rico Lewis and Ryan McAidoo, but too many passes and crosses went astray. Suzuki saved from Josko Gvardiol and Maatsen cleared a late Haaland header off the line. Jackson went off to a standing ovation with eight minutes remaining.

Maresca backs Guéhi

Guéhi's mistakes had gifted Ipswich two goals the previous weekend (see City's 3-2 win over Ipswich), and The Guardian counted three goals he has cost City in their last two league games. Maresca would not criticise him. “No, I’m not worried about Marc at all,” he said, adding that the defender had played every minute for club and country since the season began and that the half-time change was partly down to the yellow card.

“I think we deserved more from the game, for the amount of chances that we created and for the chances that we conceded,” Maresca said. “We lost because probably we have not been clinical enough in their box.” City had 15 shots to Villa's eight, but Villa scored with both of their efforts on target.

Unai Emery was full of praise for his striker. “He’s very demanding of himself to improve things,” the Villa manager said, according to The Guardian. Speaking to Amazon Prime Video, as reported by Bongda24h, Emery pointed to Jackson's six goals in six matches and said Villa had to turn their attention quickly to the next games. Jackson said, as quoted by VnExpress, that beating a strong side who lead the league was a wonderful feeling.

VnExpress highlighted the personal edge: Jackson had been surplus to Maresca's plans at Chelsea and was loaned to Bayern before joining Villa in the summer. He now has seven goals in 11 appearances in all competitions.

By the numbers

  • Villa are the first side to beat City in three successive Premier League games since Liverpool in December 2016 (Opta, via The Guardian).
  • City have lost four in a row at Villa Park, and Villa have won five of the last seven meetings, VnExpress reported.
  • Haaland has scored in seven consecutive Premier League appearances, equalling his longest run in the competition (Opta, via The Guardian).
  • City have conceded 9 goals in their last 4 games in all competitions after letting in 8 goals in their first 9 (Opta, via The Guardian).
  • Bongda24h said Emery has beaten City five times over the last five Premier League seasons, more than any other manager, and averages 1.88 points per game against them as Villa coach.
  • Villa have extended their unbeaten run to 7 games in all competitions and recorded their first home league win of the season, Dân trí reported.

What it means for the title race

City remain on 21 points after eight rounds, VnExpress said, and missed the chance to become the eighth English side to win their first eight top-flight games of a season, according to Dân trí. The results and table published by Bongda24h after the 24 October games show Arsenal beat Everton 2-0 later that day to move level on 21 points, leaving City top only on goal difference (+11 to +8).

Villa have 11 points, all of them collected in their last six league games after defeats in their first two (VnExpress). The Guardian noted that Emery's side are also second in the Champions League standings with three wins from three (see Villa's Champions League campaign).

Maresca said City would learn from the game and try to improve. After Villa Park, they no longer have any cushion over Arsenal at the top.