Nicolas Jackson scored twice as Aston Villa ended Manchester City’s perfect start to the Premier League season with a 2-1 victory at Villa Park on Saturday, handing Enzo Maresca his first league defeat after seven consecutive wins.
The Senegalese striker struck in both halves to secure a deserved victory for Unai Emery’s side, extending their impressive recent record against City and halting the visitors’ winning run in the league.
City arrived in Birmingham seeking an eighth successive league victory, but defensive lapses and Villa’s clinical finishing proved decisive in an entertaining lunchtime encounter.
Jackson opened the scoring in the sixth minute after capitalising on a costly error by Marc Guehi. The defender lost possession under pressure, allowing the former Chelsea forward to race through on goal before firing into the roof of the net.
City responded by pushing forward in search of an equaliser, but Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki produced several important saves to frustrate the league leaders. Iliman Ndiaye also came close to drawing the visitors level when his effort clipped the base of the post.
Villa maintained their defensive discipline to preserve their advantage until the break, leaving Maresca with work to do at half-time.
Haaland Restores Parity After the Break
Maresca introduced changes at the interval as City sought to regain control, and the adjustment paid dividends seven minutes into the second half.
A quickly taken free-kick found Ndiaye in space, and the winger delivered a dangerous cross into the penalty area for Erling Haaland, who rose above the Villa defence to head home the equaliser.
The goal was Haaland’s ninth in the Premier League this season, underlining the Norwegian’s continued importance to City’s attacking threat. He has also established himself as the club’s third-highest scorer in all competitions, behind Sergio Aguero and Eric Brook.
However, City’s renewed momentum was short-lived as Villa restored their lead in the 61st minute.
Jackson completed his brace with a well-timed finish from close range after substitute Ibrahim Mbaye supplied the cutback. His effort went underneath Gianluigi Donnarumma, leaving the City goalkeeper unable to prevent Villa from reclaiming the advantage.
City pushed for another equaliser in the closing stages, with Haaland threatening late on, but Villa held firm to secure all three points.
Villa Extend Dominance Over City
The result marked Villa’s third consecutive Premier League victory over City and their fourth successive home win against the Manchester club, continuing a fixture trend that has increasingly favoured Emery’s side at Villa Park.
It also brought Maresca’s remarkable opening league sequence to an end. The Italian had become the first manager to win his first seven Premier League matches from the start of a season with a new club, establishing an impressive early benchmark before Villa delivered the setback.
For Jackson, the performance offered further evidence of his growing influence since joining Villa from Chelsea in the summer. The striker spent last season on loan at Bayern Munich, where opportunities were limited behind Harry Kane, but he has begun to make a stronger impression in his new surroundings.
Villa Recover From Torrid Start to the Season
Villa’s victory also underlined their recovery from a difficult opening to the campaign. Having failed to win any of their first four league matches, Emery’s men have responded with three victories and a draw across their subsequent four games.
The turnaround has revived their campaign and strengthened their belief that they can compete with the division’s leading sides.
City remain a formidable force despite the defeat, but the loss serves as a reminder that Maresca’s side cannot afford defensive mistakes against opponents capable of exploiting them.
For Villa, Jackson’s clinical display and another impressive result against City provide renewed momentum as they look to sustain their resurgence in the Premier League.
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