Manchester City 4 Aston Villa 0 - match report and pictures

Edin Dzeko's quick double broke Villa's resistance after the claret and blues had frustrated their hosts.

Stevan Jovetic scored a third and Yaya Toure netted a brilliant individual effort in stoppage time to wrap up a comfortable win for the hosts.

It means City, who regained top spot, will beat Liverpool to the league crown with a draw against West Ham on Sunday.

Andi Weimann's late header smacked the underside of the bar for Villa in a rare attack where, despite their efforts they were second best.

Marc Albrighton (groin) and Gabby Agbonlahor (knee) missed out after suffering injuries against Hull at the weekend with Karim El Ahmadi and Jordan Bowery starting.

Starlet Jack Grealish made the bench after his loan at Notts County ended at the weekend.

City were without the injured Sergio Aguero (groin) but kept £20m Alvaro Negredo and £22m Stevan Jovetic on the bench and recalled David Silva.

The hosts dominated the first half Brad Guzan beat away Aleksandar Kolarov's angled effort after five minutes before he and Ron Vlaar blocked Toure's effort after Pablo Zabaleta's cross.

Yet City lacked a tempo capable of opening Villa up as their massed defensive ranks stifled the hosts' creativity.

Samir Nasri curled wide and Weimann scuffed an angled volley at Joe Hart in Villa's first attack – on 28 minutes.

Bowery also shot wide three minutes later as Villa found some life with City's patient and precise start looking too conservative.

Weimann dragged an effort off target after a quick break as Villa came out of their defensive shell.

But City should have gone in 1-0 ahead but Nasri volleyed wide from five yards after Zabaleta had again found space.

The title-chasers began the second half as they had the first and still lacked the pace to unlock Villa and Guzan claimed Vincent Kompany's overhead kick.

Kolarov's free kick was saved but Villa's resistance was finally broken on 64 minutes by Dzeko.

Zabaleta had looked City's best outlet and another run and cross from the right-back found Dzeko to sweep in from six yards.

Eight minutes later it was 2-0 when Dzeko tapped in after Guzan saved well from Nasri.

City were rampant and Toure's free kick was deflected wide with the Etihad's nerves disappearing.

But they returned when Weimann's 82nd minute header hit the underside of the bar and bounced out.

Jovetic did make it 3-0, though, with a minute left when he fired in from the edge of the area.

And Toure capped a fine performance when he ran 50-yards in injury time to smash past Guzan.