Aston Villa weathered the storm of Erling Haaland and Manchester City’s ceaseless pressure to salvage a point that will be an immense source of pride for Steven Gerrard. The mood had begun to darken over Villa Park as a fifth defeat in six league games beckoned after Haaland combined to devastating effect with Kevin De Bruyne to break the deadlock early in the second half.
Rather than allow a breach to become a flood, though, Villa summoned all their resolve and launched an unexpected fightback that stunned City when Leon Bailey’s first-time shot sailed into the top corner.
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The equaliser left Pep Guardiola’s side to rue an unusual lack of cutting edge, along with the defiance of goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, and it was Villa who were the most aggrieved come the end, after Philippe Coutinho’s late strike was ruled out because the referee had prematurely blown his whistle for offside.
“The players stuck at it. I don’t think anyone gave us a hope or a chance before a ball was kicked,” Gerrard, the Villa head coach, said. “It was important we had belief and courage, because you need it against City, and I’m really pleased and proud of what the players gave. I don’t think anyone can begrudge us that point.”
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The focus on City has rightly been thanks to an outrageous glut of goals and Guardiola was reluctant to draw any sweeping conclusions from a rare off-day up front, even after missing the chance to go top of the table.
“We struggled a little bit in the first half to create chances,” he said. “Sometimes we were not precise, our crossing was not good, but we didn’t play bad. We had enough chances to score but it’s football, it happens. ”
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Gerrard felt his side had been unfairly written off before kick-off, but the form book did read somewhat like an obituary. The sense of dread was heightened when it was confirmed that Haaland would indeed start, despite a looming midweek trip to Sevilla in the Champions League. The striker’s tenth goal in six games ensured he matched Micky Quinn’s 30-year-old record as the Norway striker continues to treat his maiden run at the Premier League like one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Villa were braced for that threat and could call on Douglas Luiz to bolster the midfield after rejecting three bids from Arsenal for the Brazil international on transfer deadline day. They were still a little brittle in defence, though, and Kyle Walker could have given City the lead within the opening five minutes after Haaland brushed off two defenders. The full back’s sliced shot sailed wide, much to the grievance of Haaland, who had been poised on the six-yard line expecting a return pass.
The pattern was inevitable and unavoidable, with Villa sinking deeper as City dominated possession and probed for openings. Tyrone Mings’ poor clearance almost gifted one such chance to De Bruyne, whose shot from distance fizzed wide and, after Villa attempted to push up, the Belgium star pierced the newfound space with a fantastic cross that Ilkay Gundogan could not quite reach.
It left Villa in a state of double jeopardy, damned if they were to take a risk but destined to lose without one. An injury to Matty Cash brought respite from the siege and it was his replacement, Ashley Young, who freed Villa from their shackles. The 37-year-old showed his speed and strength of old to outmuscle De Bruyne and a long ball sent through Ollie Watkins, whose deflected shot squirmed just wide.
It ought to have acted as a jolt of encouragement for Villa, but any semblance of momentum was stamped out after 50 minutes. The inescapable reality dawned when De Bruyne’s swerving cross, this time inch-perfect, sailed over the head of a stranded Martínez and Haaland bundled the ball in at the back post.
The prospect of Haaland’s third consecutive hat-trick came into view at that point, but Villa admirably refused to buckle. Jacob Ramsey had a fine chance to equalise after robbing Rodri in the centre circle, but a heavy touch allowed Ederson to rush out and smother the danger. Ramsey, 21, made amends shortly afterwards as his jinking run along the edge of the box teed up Bailey and the Jamaica forward’s wicked curling shot beat Ederson.
The goal set up a dramatic final 15 minutes, with City suddenly bereft of their cutting edge as Riyad Mahrez and Rodri spurned gilt-edged chances. The excitement that erupted around Villa Park before Coutinho’s shot hit the net meant many in attendance had not heard the referee blow his whistle. A review showed he was onside but the decision could not be overturned because Simon Hooper had already stopped play.
“I’ve spoken to the officials after the game and I’ve asked for their side of it,” Gerrard said. “I always try and understand but the referee blew the whistle too soon.”
Star man: K De Bruyne
Aston Villa (4-3-3): E Martínez 7 — M Cash 5 (A Young 26, 7) , E Konsa 6, T Mings 7, L Digne 7 — B Kamara 6, D Luiz 6, J McGinn 6 (P Coutinho 65, 6) — L Bailey 7 (E Buendia 91), O Watkins 7, J Ramsey 7. Booked: Cash, Digne
Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Ederson 6 — K Walker 6 (N Ake 80), R Dias 6, J Stones 6, J Cancelo 7 — Rodri 6, I Gundogan 6 — B Silva 6 (R Mahrez 72), K De Bruyne 8, P Foden 6 — E Haaland 8.
Referee: Simon Hooper
