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.
Penalty to Man City!
Man City 2-0 Aston Villa
44 mins: Jack Grealish cuts across the front of Jacob Ramsey as the ball is slipped into the box. There’s contact between the players and Grealish goes down.
The referee wastes no time in pointing to the spot.
Man City 2-0 Aston Villa
42 mins: Manchester City are comfortable now. They’re bossing the game and have a two goal lead.
Kevin De Bruyne is brought down by Douglas Luiz and the referee awards a free kick to City. De Bruyne and Jack Grealish complain that Luiz hasn’t been booked before Ruben Dias comes sprinting up to protest as well.
The referee hears Dias’ protests and books him for dissent.
GOAL! Man City 2-0 Aston Villa (Gundogan, 39’)⚽️
39 mins: Another one! Kevin De Bruyne sends the ball forward and Calum Chambers fails to deal with it. His attempted clearance just puts the ball into no-man’s land and Erling Haaland sprints over to keep it in play.
He beats Emi Martinez to the ball, cuts inside then curls a pass over to the back post where Ilkay Gundogan arrives for a tap in.
Man City 1-0 Aston Villa
38 mins: De Bruyne lifts the ball into the middle and aims for Rodri. Boubacar Kamara sticks with him and does enough to distract the City goalscorer who nods his effort wide of the far post.
Man City 1-0 Aston Villa
36 mins: Lucas Digne is drawn into a contest with Riyad Mahrez and brings down the winger over to the side of his own penalty area.
The Aston Villa defender earns a yellow card and City have the chance to get the ball into the box. Kevin De Bruyne is going to take this free kick.
Man City 1-0 Aston Villa
33 mins: De Bruyne makes a run in space down the right channel and is perfectly picked out by Rodri. De Bruyne spins around Kamara and runs into the box before squaring a pass over to Erling Haaland.
Haaland peels away from Ezri Konsa but the defender intercepts the pass and boots it away.
Man City 1-0 Aston Villa
30 mins: Man City look hungry today. Kevin De Bruyne receives the ball and carries up towards the box.
He slides a pass into the feet of Jack Grealish who rolls it onto his right foot and blasts one at goal only to be denied by Emi Martinez who palms the ball wide of the far post.
Man City 1-0 Aston Villa
28 mins: Manchester City win a free kick and knock the ball into the box. It falls for Bernardo Silva who drills a shot at goal and strikes Ezri Konsa on the arm.
His hands were by his side and Ruben Dias was blocking his vision but VAR takes a look at a possible handball. Nothing comes from it.
Man City 1-0 Aston Villa
25 mins: Boubacar Kamara receives the ball as Aston Villa whip a cross into the box from the left. He brings it under control before lifting a dainty pass into the middle where Emiliano Buendia leaps towards it and nods a chance wide of the nearest post.
Decent response from Aston Villa.
Man City 1-0 Aston Villa
22 mins: Close! Another corner for City is whipped in by Mahrez. Ruben Dias gets the first touch and nods the ball into the middle where it drops for Erling Haaland.
He’s swamped by a couple of defenders but gets a shot away and lifts the effort over the crossbar!
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