Manchester City had another nightmarish day on the pitch at Aston Villa, losing 2-1 in a match marked by the helplessness of the Skyblues in the face of the tactical discipline of the Villans. This setback could well fuel questions around Pep Guardiola, now under pressure after lackluster performances.
From the first minutes, Aston Villa set a hellish pace. Taking advantage of a restart error from Gvardiol, Jhon Duran almost opened the scoring in the 2nd minute, but Ortega saved his team. However, the City goalkeeper could do nothing in the 16th minute when Duran completed a counter-attack perfectly orchestrated by Tielemans and Rogers. The opening score already illustrated the tactical superiority and aggressiveness of Unai Emery's players.
City tried to react, monopolizing the ball with 59% possession, but without any edge. Foden and Haaland, symbols of an apathetic attack, came up against a compact defense led by Konsa and Torres. The frustration culminated in angry gestures, such as Grealish's yellow card. The final blow came in the 64th minute, with a collective masterpiece completed by Morgan Rogers. City, overwhelmed in all sectors, were never able to reverse the trend, despite the entries of Doku and Savinho, before Phil Foden reduced the score too late.
This defeat, symptomatic of Manchester City's recent difficulties, could mark a turning point. If Guardiola remains a master tactician, his choices are increasingly criticized. The Catalan's future on the bench of the reigning champions seems more uncertain than ever.
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To summarize
It was a disaster for Manchester City who conceded another worrying defeat to Aston Villa. Pep Guardiola seems without a solution with his group. The crisis seems total for Erling Haaland's partners now.
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France
