Manchester City 3, Aston Villa 1
Goals by Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan, and Riyad Mahrez in an intense first half saw Manchester City through against Aston Villa as City responded to a week of legal charges by the Premier League.
With Arsenal on the horizon City let up a bit and Aston Villa scored in the second half through Ollie Watkins and saw sub Jhon Duran hit the crossbar while Philipe Coutinho forced Ederson to make a late save.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City 3, Aston Villa 1
Ederson: 6. Was needed in the second half to save from Philippe Coutinho as Villa went after goals. Went down injured after saving from Douglas Luiz.
Kyle Walker: 6. Coolly took the ball off Leon Bailey before he could break on City.
Ruben Dias: 6. Deepest defender – one of only three recognised defenders in the side. Hard to mark on set pieces and extremely tough on Leon Bailey. Booked and then rested at half time.
Aymeric Laporte: 6. Great block to deflect a shot by Leon Bailey.
Rodri: 9. Up for the game! Header to send City into the lead, sat deep in midfield and sprayed passes around unencumbered by the Villa midfield. Through ball sent Ilkay Gundogan clean through and he also had a shot saved and put up a case to take the penalty that Riyad Mahrez scored.
Kevin De Bruyne: 7. Dangerous runs through the Villa defence, beat his man at will.
Ilkay Gundogan: 8. Scored a fine strike in the first half. Earlier clean through but had effort saved by Emi Martinez. Goal ruled out after Emi Martinez was adjudged to have been founded by Erling Haaland.
Bernardo Silva: 7. Stuck to his left wing back role and was deeper in the second half. Did well going forward but a loose ball from him was intercepted, leaving Villa to score from the counter attack.
Riyad Mahrez: 7. Great out swinging corner to set up the opening goal and then demanded the ball to score a cool penalty. Ostensibly a right wing back but spent a lot of time further up main life hard for Lucas Digne. Ended up blasting a chance to finish off Villa overt the bar.
Jack Grealish: 7. Had a shot curl wide after taking a deflection of Calum Chambers and another saved by Emi Martinez. Lots of dangerous passes and runs into the Villa box and won a penalty off one of them.
Erling Haaland: 7. Risked everything to try and get the ball as it went through to Martinez. Set up the goal for Ilkay Gundogan after barnstorming run. Taken off at half time with Arsenal on the horizon.
Julian Alvarez (on for Erling Haaland, 46): 6. Hard working up front and had a certain goal blocked by Ezra Konsa. Set up Mahrez for a great chance which the Algerian skied.
Manuel Akanji (on for Ruben Dias, 46): 6. City switched to a more orthodox back four in the second half.
Phil Foden (on for Jack Grealish, 69): 6. Slotted in at left wing after a month out with injury.
Nathan Ake (on for Riyad Mahrez, 85): No time to mark.
GOALS – Manchester City 3, Aston Villa 1
Man City 1, Aston Villa 0: 4. Rodri headed City into the lead with a header from Riyad Mahrez’ out swinging corner, Emi Martinez got a hand to it but couldn’t keep it out.
Man City 2, Aston Villa 0: 39. Kevin De Bruyne swept up an early ball for Erling Haaland to run onto, Calum Chambers headed it away but the speedy Norwegian still got on the end of it and cut it back to Ilkay Gundogan who slammed it home.
Man City 3, Aston Villa 0: 45+1. Riyad Mahrez slotted a penalty into the left side of the net after jack Grealish was fouled by Jacob Ramsey.
Man City 3, Aston Villa 1: 61. Ollie Watkins ran onto a through ball from Douglas Luiz who intercepted a loose ball from Bernardo Silva and sent the Villa striker clean through.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 3, Aston Villa 1
Man City: Ederson, Walker, Dias (Akanji 46), Laporte, Rodri, De Bruyne, Gundogan (C), Bernardo Silva, Mahrez (Ake 85), Grealish (Foden 69), Haaland (Alvarez 46)
Man City Subs not used: Ortega, Phillips, Gomez, Palmer
Booking: Dias 40 (dissent)
Goals: Rodri 4; Gundogan 39; Mahrez pen 45+1
Aston Villa: Emi Martinez (C), Young (Coutinho 76), Konsa, Chambers, Digne (Duran 60), J Ramsey (Cash 76), Kamara, Luiz, Buendia (McGinn 60), Bailey (Moreno 60), Watkins
Aston Villa Subs not used: Sinisalo, Dendoncker, Zych, Swinkels
Bookings: Digne 36 (foul on Riyad Mahrez), Konsa 63 (foul on Julian Alvarez)
Goal: Watkins 61
Referee: Robert Jones