Manchester City lose 2-1 at Aston Villa as seven-match winning start ends

Manchester City’s seven-match winning start in the Premier League ended with a 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa on Saturday 24 October. Arsenal’s subsequent 2-0 victory over Everton brought them level on points at the top.

Nicolas Jackson scored in both halves at Villa Park. City remain assured of a top-two place at the end of the weekend, but have conceded nine goals across their past four matches, having allowed eight in their opening nine games.

City have kept just one clean sheet in six matches. Gianluigi Donnarumma and Marc Guehi have each made three errors resulting in Premier League goals since the beginning of last season. Only eight players have recorded more.

Guehi replaced at half-time

John McGinn dispossessed Guehi inside City’s half before Villa’s opening goal. The defender later received a booking for bringing down Jackson near the penalty area and was substituted at the interval.

Abdukodir Khusanov moved from the right into central defence, with Rico Lewis coming on to take the wide position.

Enzo Maresca rejected concerns about Guehi’s form. He cited the defender’s workload for club and country and said the booking also influenced his decision to replace him.

Donnarumma was beaten by a low effort for Jackson’s second goal. Former City defender Steph Houghton told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Donnarumma, especially with the second goal, could probably have done a little bit better.”

Brighton double-header next

Arsenal have allowed five goals in eight league fixtures and recorded successive league clean sheets. City’s current rate is 1.13 goals conceded per match, against Arsenal’s 0.625.

Maresca told TNT Sports that both Villa goals were avoidable, saying: “We played most of the game in their box but you have to be clinical and avoid mistakes like the two goals we conceded.”

City face Brighton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday 28 October, followed by another meeting in the Premier League on Saturday 31 October.