Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, buoyed by a vibrant home crowd, delivered a spirited performance, out-running and out-playing City in key moments. It was a forgettable night for Jack Grealish, who faced relentless boos on his return to Villa Park during yet another lackluster display from Guardiola’s team.

Aston Villa wasted no time asserting themselves, with Jhon Duran threatening after just 15 seconds. The striker made no mistake with his second chance, finishing a well-crafted move initiated by a stunning Youri Tielemans pass in the 15th minute.

After halftime, Villa maintained their dominance, and Morgan Rogers sealed the victory on the hour mark with a composed finish against his former club.

Manchester City struggled to mount any serious comeback. Erling Haaland was largely anonymous, while Kevin De Bruyne remained an unused substitute on the bench. Phil Foden managed to pull one back in the dying seconds, but it was too little, too late.

The defeat drops City to sixth in the Premier League table, with Aston Villa climbing to fifth. Guardiola’s team, plagued by inconsistency, will need to regroup quickly as their title defense falters.

For Villa, the result marks a return to form under Emery, with their energetic and disciplined performance raising hopes of a strong finish to the season.