Manchester City’s struggles this season reached new lows as they suffered another painful loss, this time at the hands of Aston Villa. Goals from Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers secured a vital 2-1 win for Villa, with Phil Foden’s late strike offering little consolation for Pep Guardiola’s side.
The defeat sees the defending champions drop to sixth in the Premier League standings, a worrying nine points behind league leaders Liverpool, who also hold two games in hand. Aston Villa, on the other hand, leapfrogged City to claim fifth place, keeping their hopes of a top-four finish alive.
For City, the numbers tell a grim story: nine defeats in their last 12 games across all competitions and no wins in their last eight away matches. The team that once dominated with style and confidence now finds itself in a downward spiral that Guardiola’s adjustments seem unable to halt.
This latest setback came despite six changes to the starting lineup following their loss to Manchester United in the derby. However, City’s performance remained lethargic and riddled with defensive frailties, which Villa capitalized on brilliantly.
From the opening minute, the warning signs were clear. Substitute goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, standing in for the injured Ederson, was called into action twice within seconds—first to deny Jhon Duran and then to tip Pau Torres’ header onto the bar.
Villa broke the deadlock in the 16th minute, with a sublime through-ball from Youri Tielemans carving through City’s defense. Morgan Rogers set up Duran for a simple finish past Ortega, leaving City stunned.
The second half saw more of the same, with City’s inability to respond proving costly. Rogers, once a City academy player who never made a senior appearance, doubled Villa’s lead with a clinical finish in the 65th minute. Foden’s injury-time goal came too late to change the outcome, serving only as a reminder of what City failed to do earlier in the match.
For Villa, this result marks a turning point in their campaign. After struggling for consistency, they delivered a disciplined and clinical performance, reigniting their ambitions for European football.
For Guardiola and Manchester City, though, the pressure is mounting. With the season slipping away, questions are being asked about whether the defending champions can find a way back—or if their dominance is truly coming to an end.
