Matheus Nunes scored a winner of time to stop for Manchester City to win a 2-1 2-1 victory over Aston Villa which lifts them to third place in the Premier League table.
This sparked jubilant celebration scenes inside the Etihad stadium with Pep Guardiola leading them, his team now well placed to secure football from the Champions League next season after having ended the five games of five games of their rivals in the league.
Bernardo Silva put City in the lead early, but Marcus Rashford, who had struck the post after 17 seconds, leveled the villa in the penalty place following a Var intervention for a fault of Ruben Dias on Jacob Ramsey. City continued to push and push for the winner.
Nunes has found it and its objective means that City now has one point ahead of the Nottingham forest in the champions League squares, with the villa of Unai Emery always seventh – although only four points behind City. The race remains close. But it was a huge moment for the city.
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Manchester City smoke while Var intervenes to put Aston Villa a penalty
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Matheus Nunes prevails for Manchester City in a vital result against Aston Villa
How did it go to Etihad
“He made a big call,” said Roy Keane before kick -off in reference to Emery’s decision to start Rashford before Ollie Watkins, who impressed in his last two Premier League performances. But Rashford was a live thread of the first seconds.
He struck the post after 17 of them, an early warning of villa’s ability to cause problems in the city. But the villa’s task has become more difficult when Emiliano Martinez has somehow allowed Silva shooting to wiggle after the good work of Omar Marmoush offshore.
Guardiola chose to play Silva alongside Mateo Kovacic in the midfield, with Kevin de Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan in front of them. The quartet is all over 30 years old and offers real control in possession, but it leaves the city sensitive to the counterattack – and therefore it has proven.
Craig Pawson did not underline in real time that Dias had sparked Ramsey, but the Var intervention led to a penalty that Rashford marked. It has been more than 20 years since City conceded these numerous home goals during a Premier League season. But they have a resolution.
It was the side of Guardiola who pushed the most harshly for the winner, James Mcatee desperately getting closer to a lob on Martinez who tilted largely. Although Rashford has rounded Stefan Ortega before hitting the lateral coast, the pressure was built on the villa.
In the end, it was the introduction of Jeremy Doku as a substitute that turned out to be key, finding space on the left and playing a welcoming ball behind the back line that Nunes was on site to finish. Nunes being right there, playing like a right back, says a lot.
“You can’t imagine City and Guardiola not in the Champions League,” said Gary Neville. A night when it will have felt for many fans inside the stadium that it was at stake, their team had just enough to put an end to the brilliant shape of a villa.
What the players said …
City Human Vide-Match Matheus Nunes Speaking to Sky Sports:
“The match was important. A very difficult match against a difficult opponent. We came with the mentality that we had to win.
“The perfect timing! It could not have happened at a better time. We will see at the end of the season. It will be very important.”
Man defender DIAS Ruben Speaking to Sky Sports:
“They are on the run towards the top five with us. Special game to get three points. Four games to do and all will be massively important. We continue.
“We know how tight it is and how tight it will be until the end. I cannot quantify how much today.
“It means everything for us. We know exactly in the circumstances in which we are, the first four or five mean everything. This is our main trophy. We have the FA Cup and the Club World Cup but that’s it for us.”
Mid-Terrain d’Aston Villa Youri Tielemans Speaking to Sky Sports:
“Fraustrating to lose at the last minute. We fought very hard. We blocked almost everything. To lose like that, it’s frustrating. We are first luck and they get the last. They mark and we don’t do it. It’s really frustrating.
“We have four games left. We are going to give everything and we hope to be back where we want to be, in the positions of the Champions League.”
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The Manchester City Pep Guardiola says that his team is not used to scoring last -minute winners!
What managers have said …
Man City head coach PEP Guodiola Speaking to Sky Sports:
“We are not used to it! The last -minute victory belongs to Liverpool. We are not used to it, so I am really happy. We are in the last four games, we know suitors in the Champions League like Aston Villa, they are one of the best European teams.
“We played very well. Aggressive in our duels and the four back were incredible. Really happy.
“Football is emotion. The last two games were so difficult that we are really happy. I was so happy. I have to admit it! Try not to lose because 1-1 was not a bad result but Jeremy’s action was so good.
“The team fought a lot. The performance was really good. It’s a fantastic team.
“The season was bad. No matter the final or if we finish in the Champions League. What makes you feel good is the Premier League. It happened and sometimes you have bad seasons. Liverpool will be champion and the level of the teams is exceptional.”
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Roy Keane thinks that Man City can still have a good season despite the disappointment of Pep Guardiola
Aston Villa Manager Unai Emery Speaking to Sky Sports:
“We cannot waste time. We have contributed well and near the drawing. We tried to win with the substitutes. They did the same and they scored.
“We played a competitive match and had our chances. We had to accept it.
“It’s a moment to be positive. I’m going to analyze the match. We are trying to focus on the match for Saturday [FA Cup semi-final].
“We play at this level and want to try to compete. We are trying to ask to build a solid structure. Today, we have played and contributed, but I am so happy. I cannot waste time.”
