In an unexpected turn of events, reigning champions Manchester City suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Aston Villa at Villa Park. The lone goal, a deflected strike from Leon Bailey, was enough to secure victory for Villa and push City further down the Premier League table.
The defeat marks a worrying trend for Pep Guardiola’s side, who have now gone four Premier League games without a win. Despite Erling Haaland having two chances in the first half, City struggled to find their rhythm and never looked comfortable on the pitch.
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The absence of the suspended Rodri was keenly felt, with the club appearing unusually passive against a determined Villa side. This loss sees City drop to fourth in the table, now six points adrift of league leaders Arsenal.
The result at Villa Park shows the competitive nature of the Premier League. With Aston Villa now sitting in third place, Manchester will need to regroup quickly if they are to regain their footing in the race for the title.