Photo: Marc Atkins/Getty Images
In this article, you can find information about the main event that took place in the English championship in the middle of the week, the goals in the match, and the situation in the tournament table.
APL. Round 34
Manchester City — Aston Villa 2:1
Goals: Silva (7), Nunes (90+4) — Rashford (18, penalty).
Manchester City — Ortega, Nunes, Dias, Guardiola, O'Reilly, Gundogan, Kovacic, Silva, De Bruyne (Akanji, 90+5), McAtee (Doku, 74), Marmush.
Aston Villa — Martinez, Cash (Disasi, 61), Konsa, Torres, Dinn, Kamara, Onana (Asensio, 76), Rogers (Malen, 86), Tielemans, Ramsey (McGinn, 61), Rashford (Watkins, 76).
Warnings: Dinn (35), Rogers (50), Guardiola (70), Nunes (77), Watkins (85), Silva (86).
It is clear as day that Liverpool and Arsenal will not give up the first and second places to anyone in England. However, there is a fierce battle for the next three spots that grant qualification to the Champions League. With five rounds remaining until the end of the season, there was only a two-point difference between third-placed Newcastle and seventh-placed Aston Villa.
Therefore, ahead of the match against Aston Villa, Manchester City coach Josep Guardiola spoke about his team preparing for another final, as they will play in the FA Cup semifinals at Wembley this weekend. The team that wins the match between the "Citizens" and the Birmingham side would take third place.
The visitors could have opened the scoring in the 20th second: Marcus Rashford took advantage of a mistake in the City defense, burst into the penalty area, and sent a shot to the far corner, but the ball hit the post. Guardiola's team quickly regained their composure. The hosts immediately took the initiative, in the 7th minute Ruben Dias delivered a diagonal pass to the left flank, Marmush entered the penalty area and passed the ball back, Emiliano Martinez managed to reach Bernardo Silva's shot, but the ball still found its way into the net.
After City took the lead, they continued to attack, while the visitors' plan remained unchanged: Unai Emery's pupils were waiting for their chance in counterattacks. In the 16th minute, Jacob Ramsey burst into the penalty area and fell after contact with Ruben Dias; referee Craig Pawson went to check the video replay and pointed to the penalty spot, Rashford sent an unstoppable shot – 1:1.
The forward on loan from Manchester United brought City's total number of goals conceded at home this season to 22, which is the worst figure since the 2003/04 season (24 goals). Guardiola continued to put on a show in the technical area, receiving a yellow card after an emotional conversation with the fourth official. He was actively protesting from the sidelines throughout the match, drawing the operator's attention. The importance of the result had put Guardiola under significant pressure.
City dominated possession and frequently attacked, while Aston Villa responded with quick counterattacks. However, Emery hesitated with substitutions, only bringing on the speedy Donyell Malen at the very end of the match, in the 86th minute. Guardiola, on the other hand, attempted to turn the game around by introducing Jeremy Doku in the 74th minute, who unexpectedly appeared in the opponent's penalty area due to his dribbling and speed, posing a threat to the goal.
In the 80th minute, City once again found the net. However, during the added time, Omar Marmush was offside, and the goal was disallowed. By this time, Guardiola was visibly frustrated and despondent. The cameras began to focus more on the nervous Emery. For Aston Villa, a draw at the Etihad would have been a fantastic result.
However, the visitors could not hold on to the score. In the 90+4th minute, Doku surged down the left flank and crossed the ball into the Aston Villa goalkeeper's area. The ball went past everyone, and Mateus Nunes, who had entered the penalty area from the other side without any resistance, scored the winning goal – 2:1. City temporarily climbed to third place. Aston Villa, who lost for the fifteenth consecutive time at the Etihad, remained in seventh place, having played more matches than their rivals.
