Nicolas Jackson scored twice as Aston Villa handed Manchester City their first Premier League defeat of the season with a 2-1 victory at Villa Park.
City had won all seven of their opening league games. However, they could not maintain that perfect record against a Villa side that has enjoyed recent success in this fixture.
The result marked Villa’s fifth win in their past seven meetings with City. It also extended their winning run against the visitors at Villa Park to four games. The victory came on the fourth anniversary of Unai Emery’s appointment as manager.
Nicolas Jackson Punishes City as Villa Claim Vital Win
Villa captain John McGinn made the breakthrough after capitalising on a poor touch from City defender Marc Guehi. He played Jackson through, and the forward turned inside Elliot Anderson before firing high past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
City pushed for an equaliser, with Iliman Ndiaye hitting the post. Their pressure finally paid off early in the second half when Erling Haaland rose above the defence to head home Ndiaye’s cross from the right.
However, Villa restored their lead just eight minutes later. Substitute Ibrahim Mbaye drove a low cross into the box, and Nicolas Jackson met it with a first time shot that beat Donnarumma under his left hand.
City searched for another equaliser late in the game. Haaland sent a header towards goal, but Ian Maatsen cleared the danger to preserve Villa’s lead.
The win gave Villa their first home league victory of the season. They had lost their opening two league games but have since recovered well, collecting 11 points from their next six Premier League matches.
Their summer recruitment has attracted attention, and the latest performance suggested the reshaped squad can help Emery maintain the club’s progress. Four summer arrivals started against City and made important contributions.
Jackson stood out with his two goals. The former Chelsea forward has now scored seven times in 11 league and cup appearances for Villa. His two finishes were also the home side’s only shots on target.
Alongside Johan Manzambi, Jackson caused problems on the counter attack as City pushed forward. Just before half time, one Villa break forced Guehi to pull Jackson down near the edge of the penalty area. The City defender received a yellow card for the foul.
Villa also worked hard to disrupt City’s attacks. Joao Gomes repeatedly broke up play alongside fellow midfielder Boubacar Kamara, helping the hosts withstand periods of pressure.
Goalkeeper Zion Suzuki played a key role, too. He made first half saves to deny Ndiaye, Rayan Cherki and Abdukodir Khusanov. He then produced another important stop to keep out Josko Gvardiol shortly after Haaland’s equaliser.
That save proved crucial, as Villa soon regained the lead through Jackson. Mbaye, another recent arrival, made an immediate impact after coming off the bench by providing the decisive assist.
Despite the defeat, City remain three points clear at the top of the Premier League table. Second placed Arsenal were due to host Everton at 15:00 BST, while Villa climbed into the top half after securing an impressive home win.
