At times, it looked like we should be grateful to Aston Villa for at least extending the title race into October. Of course, it’s not like that at all. The title is not yet a formality. But such is the drive of the masterful Erling Haaland, added to City’s already imperious passing machine, it may seem a futile task to match them.
And yet Aston Villa did it here. The viking giant was tamed by Tyrone Mings. Maybe he is human after all? And maybe City are not invincible?
Naturally, Villa couldn’t stop Haaland scoring. That would be too much to ask. And they needed Emiliano Martínez at his best, the impressive Villa keeper twice denying the Norwegian and then Phil Foden at the death to make it a point. They also required nerves of steel to see it through after the equalizer in the 74th minute.
Leon Bailey’s 74th-minute equalizer was just his second for Aston Villa after an injury-ravaged start to his career at the club.
The Jamaican was just Villa’s fifth goal in six Premier League games so far at the start of the 2022-23 season.
Steven Gerrard arguably answered several questions about his future at Aston Villa with a much-credited draw against City.
But they defied City, writing their own ending when the 1-0 narrative arc only suggested an inevitable conclusion.
Guardiola listens to all the talk, he knows that some already want to award him the title. It’s his fault, really. It makes the difficult seem relatively simple as the title wins pile up. And he knows it’s not as easy as it might seem. “I understand when people talk, but I know a lot is going to happen this season,” he said. “It’s not my first season here. It’s my seventh. I know every away game is difficult. I know how difficult it is.’
It’s five minutes into the second half when the moment we’ve all been waiting for has arrived. The patience of City’s lateral pass had ended up wearing down Villa. That’s what it’s like when you have Kevin De Bruyne to deliver a cross. The position looked innocuous, even with Haaland lurking in the six-yard box. Villa had enough men back. They were in good positions.
Gerrard’s Villa had a goal ruled out for offside after Philippe Coutinho looked to have pulled off a spectacular finish late on.
The home defense led by Tyrone Mings had done well to restrict Erling Haaland before his opener on 49 minutes.
The Norwegian found Kevin de Bruyne’s brilliant cross at the back post after being thwarted by Villa’s defense in the first half.
But the cross did enough to lure Martínez wide of the goal and still be shrewd enough to deflect over his head and then drop in front of an open goal. Somehow, it’s always Halaand who’s there when that happens. Not since Gary Lineker have we seen a goalscorer so adept in the role of hanger. It’s really weird.
Haaland scored his tenth goal of the season on Saturday evening
Many of his goals are covers. They are invariably inside the six yard box. This was from a courtyard. The easiest ever. You or I could have marked it. If, of course, you or I had the vision, the presence of mind, and the ability to accurately anticipate where the ball is going to go. Just give us that and we might as well be Erling Halaand. Ten touches in the first half, towards the second half until he scored, the player is a phenomenon with seemingly supernatural powers.
It took a City player six months to score ten goals last season (Raheem Sterling in February) in his way of sharing the load while stroking the ball for a tricky 5’8” midfielder to find the net. Haaland has cost him six games. He doesn’t play good football. He only scores goals.
And yet it was also contained for long periods within the game. ‘Credit to Tyrone and Ezri [Konsa] and projection in front of him, but he showed his quality for the goal,’ said Steven Gerrard. “It’s going to be fascinating how that plays out because even when he’s not well or off the throttle, he’s still a big threat and scores big goals.”
Gerrard could be very pleased after a miserable start to the season. He coaxed a good performance from his team. It was a point that took root in Gerrard’s thinking and in his team’s hearts, suggesting they could be better than the table suggests and he shared a hug with his coaching staff at the end. “It was a good time for us because we’ve had to stick together more over the last few weeks. There’s been a lot of external noise, rightly so, now it’s my turn to lead even more.
Pep Guardiola’s side had scored 19 goals in five games before today’s clash and the Spaniard will be disappointed with the draw.
Guardiola made just two changes to his team, despite having the likes of former Villa captain Jack Grealish among the substitutes.
City star Kevin de Bruyne had a brilliant game and produced a fine no-look cross for Haaland’s opener.
“I don’t think anyone gave us any chance or hope before kicking a ball today, so in the dressing room it was important that we had confidence and courage because you need that and I’m very happy and proud of what the players gave today and nobody can reproach us for this comb. And it is a great point.’
Gerrard made a big call leaving both Philippe Coutinho and Emiliano Buendia on the bench. It’s usually one or the other, but neither has been very impressive of late: Villa would be solid, hardworking, eschewing creativity for team cohesion.
“We’ve worked on a game plan to be strong and together and you have to pick players to support and if that means sacrificing a bit of technical ability then I have to make those big calls, especially in the situation we’re in “. Gerrard said.
City managed 754 passes throughout the game and had 73% of possession, with the home side only registering 277 passes.
Villa responded brilliantly after a disappointing performance in the 2-1 defeat against Arsenal at the Emirates on Wednesday.
And Villa could have won it after a Philippe Coutinho goal was perhaps unfairly ruled out for offside in the closing stages.
City will need to dust themselves off quickly if they are to go one better against Tottenham next Saturday at the Etihad.
It is indeed daring to sit against this team and defend deep. Allow City enough of the ball and you always fear they will eventually break you down. But it worked as Villa were too deep in the first half for Haaland or any City player to run behind the back four. City did what Guardiola says he hates: played tiki-taka football, moved from side to side, went nowhere. It was bland.
City were better in the second half, but not good enough, not precise enough in their finishing, De Bruyne, Mahrez and Foden all missing. In the 74th minute, as City struggled to clear the ball for a rare Villa attack, Jacob Ramsey took advantage, driving forward. into the City box and crossed to Leon Bailey. The strike that followed was superb, first time, volleyed and as clean as you can imagine, leaving no chance for Ederson.
There are few better stadiums than Villa Park in full song and now they had a famous victory in the spotlight. They could have secured it if referee Simon Hooper and his assistant Adrian Holmes had allowed play to continue by awarding a rogue offside.
Instead, Hooper pounced when Holmes wrongly ruled Coutinho offside, his shot then beating Ederson.
It was impossible to say whether he would have scored had the City players not stopped momentarily as the whistle blew. But if they had followed the correct protocol, let play continue and then checked the VAR, Coutinho would have had less of a chance.
“You need a lot going for you against City,” Gerrard said. Hooper and Harper apologized to him afterwards in the umpires’ new spirit of openness. It was a small consolation.
Leon Bailey drew Villa level late in the game against the run of play after a fine cross into the box from Jacob Ramsey.
MATCH DETAILS: ASTON VILLA 1-1 MANCHESTER CITY
Aston Villa (4-3-3): Martinez; Cash (Youth 27′), Mings, Konsa, Digne; Kamara, Luiz, McGinn (Coutinho 65′); Bailey (Buendia 90+1′), Watkins, Ramsey
Subs: Ings, Chambers, Young, Bednarek, Olsen, Archer
Booked: Cash, Worthy
Manager: Steven Gerrard
Manchester City (4-3-3): Ederson; Walker (Ake 80′), Stones, Slide, Cancellation; De Bruyne, Rodriguez, Gundogan; Silva (73′), Haaland, Foot
Subs: Grealish, Ortega, Álvarez, Gómez, Palmer, Lewis, Wilson-Esbrand
Coach: Pep Guardiola
Referee: Simon Hooper
Attendance: 41,830