Aston Villa 2-1 Manchester City: Jackson double hands City their first defeat of the season

Marc Guéhi miscontrols on six minutes and Nicolas Jackson pounces to put Villa ahead. The rest of the afternoon fits one line from Anton Toloui, at Villa Park for Sky Sports: “Two shots on target, two goals, three points.” Manchester City, seven league wins from seven, lose for the first time this season, 2-1, at the ground where they have not won since December 2021.

Villa win without the ball

Unai Emery’s plan runs in two beats: a low block, then the counter. City equalise on 52 minutes from their one finished move, Erling Haaland meeting Iliman Ndiaye’s cross with a header for his 13th goal in nine games. Eight minutes later Ibrahim Mbaye, on the pitch for seconds, sets Jackson away on the break: his shot beats Donnarumma, whose parry ends in his own net (60th). Villa hold the lead with two interventions of their own: Suzuki denies Gvardiol (68th), Maatsen clears Haaland’s header off the line (89th).

Villa Park still says no to City

City have not won at Villa Park since December 2021, and the run keeps growing: Villa beat them at home in December 2024 (2-1), in October 2025 (1-0) and again today, and the last three league meetings between the clubs, including at the Etihad in May, have all gone Villa’s way. Jackson knew Emery from their Villarreal days: “He’s an incredible manager,” he told TNT Sports.

City slip, Arsenal close in

Phil Foden, a midweek Champions League hat-trick to his name, started on the bench according to the Guardian and only came on at half-time with Rico Lewis, for Guéhi and Cherki. City stay top, but Arsenal can draw level this weekend. Villa move to 11 points, sixth before the rest of the weekend. On Sky Sports, Clinton Morrison questioned the call: “I cannot believe Maresca took Ndiaye off, he was their best player.”

Villa or draw at 2.19: the bet followed the slope

The market priced City at 1.71, close to six chances in ten, and Villa at 4.80. Our match preview leaned on the steadiest pattern in the fixture: no City win at Villa Park since December 2021. The double chance Villa or draw, taken at 2.19 with 1xbet for half a unit ($50), followed that slope: $59.50 net, logged in the public record. 18+. Only bet what you can afford to lose.