Manchester City vs Aston Villa LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction
Follow all the action from Etihad Stadium
The 2023/24 Premier League season is under way and you can follow every game and every goal right here with The Independent.
This year sees Manchester City try to defend their crown and claim a historic fourth title in succession. Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering City, who also won the Champions League and FA Cup last season, will have to see off Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and the rest to claim an unprecedented sixth league title in seven years.
Meanwhile Luton Town are making their first appearance in the Premier League, having risen from non-league in an incredible decade of progress. They followed Championship winners Burnley and second-placed Sheffield United in earning promotion to the top flight.
Follow the latest action from the Premier League below.
Manchester City vs Aston Villa
There we have it, it's full-time and Manchester City run out 4-1 victors against Aston Villa. In all honesty, the first half was pretty well matched as Rodri's excellently taken opener was cancelled out by Duran. But then the brilliant Foden took over. His first goal was a lovely free-kick, but Zaniolo will rue stupidly moving out of the wall to allow it to happen. After the break, though, it was the Foden show. The England man finished coolly from Rodri's lay-off then finished the hat-trick with a brilliant effort into the top-right corner - City's dominance reflected by an xG of 3.28 to Villa's 0.73. It was a win City needed after that Arsenal stalemate at the weekend, especially with the Gunners defeating Luton Town 2-0. The end result of the evening is that Arsenal are top of the table with 68 points, City are a point back in third and level with Liverpool, who face Sheffield United on Thursday.
Manchester City vs Aston Villa
One final yellow card (you would assume) as Chambers completely wipes out Grealish...it wasn't particularly subtle.
Manchester City vs Aston Villa
Off the post! Gvardiol does brilliant on the left, plays it across to Gomez, whose low effort hits the upright and goes out for a goal-kick. Not long left now...
Manchester City vs Aston Villa
Moreno wins a corner off Lewis just as four minutes of additional time is announced. Tielemans delivers from the left, Moreno made the run from deep but mishits his effort horribly.
Manchester City vs Aston Villa
City fashion a couple of chances with Bobb mis-kicking a Grealish cut-back. Alvarez picks up the loose ball is again thwarted by Olsen.
Manchester City vs Aston Villa
This has been an excellent game but as you'd expect it is sort of petering out a little bit now. City know the game is won, Villa know the game is lost, everyone is just waiting for the final blow of the referee's whistle now.
Manchester City vs Aston Villa
The Man of the Match has been announced for tonight and it is, of course, awarded to Stefan Ortega...not really! It's gone to Phil Foden, who else could it have been really? What a performance!
Manchester City vs Aston Villa
This one has turned into little more than a training exercise now. Villa are chasing City shadows without much luck. The question is really can City add to their tally?
Manchester City vs Aston Villa
The raft of changes from both sides has, unsurprisingly, just dented the flow of the game a little bit. Villa will just want to get to the full-time whistle with no more damage here. Their game plan has come unstuck a little bit, the second half was been very one sided.
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