Aston Villa 1 Manchester City 6 - Report

Sergio Aguero netted a hat-trick, becoming the top flight’s all-time foreign top scorer, on a sobering afternoon for Dean Smith’s hosts.

Villa were 4-0 down at the break after Riyad Mahrez’s quickfire double and goals from Gabriel Jesus and Aguero.

The latter then bagged two more in the second half before Anwar El Ghazi netted a late penalty for the home side.

Analysis

El Ghazi’s spot-kick, after Ilkay Gundogan was ruled to have fouled Trezeguet, meant Villa avoided a repeat of the 6-0 defeat to Liverpool in February, 2016.

That was only meagre consolation after a chastening afternoon which leaves Smith facing a huge challenge to lift his players head of vital games against Brighton, Watford and Bournemouth.

Villa now find themselves back in the bottom three after Watford’s win over Bournemouth earlier in the day.

They had gone into the match in optimistic mood after encouraging performances against both Burnley and Leicester.

But they never looked like getting anything from City, who dominated the match from the first whistle and probably should have won by more.

It was a difficult afternoon, in particular, for Danny Drinkwater, who was handed a start by Smith following his loan move from Chelsea.

The 29-year-old looked off the pace from the start and was culpable for at least one of the visitors’ goals.

The big team news, from Villa’s perspective, surrounded Drinkwater, who was handed just his second Premier League start of the season and only his seventh since joining Chelsea in a £35million move from Leicester in August, 2017.

Smith’s desire to reinforce Villa’s midfield also saw a recall for Conor Hourihane, while Ahmed Elmohamady replaced Frederic Guilbert at right wing-back.

The latter dropped to the bench along with Marvelous Nakamba and Trezeguet.

City, meanwhile, opted to start Aguero and Jesus together for the first time in the Premier League this season.

Villa found themselves pushed back from the opening minute and the only surprise was it took until the 18th minute for City to find a way through.

When the opener did arrive, it did so in frustratingly easy fashion. Mahrez picked up the ball on the right and advanced at a backpedaling home defence, evading the weak challenge of Drinkwater before squeezing a shot inside Nyland’s near post.

If there was a sense the midfielder might have done better, then there was no question about his culpability for Mahrez and City’s second five minutes later.

Villa looked to have dealt with the danger after Jesus had gotten to the byline but when the ball dropped to Drinkwater just 10 yards out he hesitated. That allowed Silva to nip in and win the ball which then ran for Mahrez to fire home from close range.

City were in relentless mood and in another five minutes were further ahead. De Bruyne picked up the ball on the right and fed Aguero, who fired a powerful shot through the hands of Nyland and into the top corner to equal Thierry Henry’s Premier League goalscoring record for foreign strikers.

Any hopes the visitors might then ease off the gas proved unfounded. Jesus had already fired narrowly over the bar before, in first-half stoppage time, he took advantage of acres of space to meet De Bruyne’s cross and fire past Nyland.

City’s fifth goal arrived 12 minutes after the break. Silva was the architect with a pass which split Villa’s defence and found Aguero, who held off two challenges before firing a finish into the bottom corner, breaking Henry’s record in the process.

Nyland then made a fine save to deny Silva, with Mings blocking Jesus’ follow-up.

Aguero bagged his hat-trick and City’s sixth with nine minutes remaining. Hause lost possession deep in his own half and Mahrez fed Aguero to fire past Nyland.

Villa, to their credit, kept pushing and gained a reward of sorts when El Ghazi blasted home from the spot in stoppage time.

Key Moments

18 - GOAL Riyad Mahrez puts City ahead. Picking up the ball on the right wing he advances at Villa’s back peddling defence before squeezing a shot inside the near post.

23 - GOAL Mahrez makes it two as Villa experience a calamity at the back. Danny Drinkwater is dispossessed 10 yards from his own goal by Silva and the winger hammers home.

28 - GOAL Villa’s afternoon goes from bad to worse. De Bruyne gets past Drinkwater and finds Aguero who blasts home from 20 yards out.

45+1 GOAL A disastrous first-half for Villa is capped off when Gabriel Jesus takes advantage of acres of space to slot home De Bruyne’s right-wing cross.

57 GOAL Aguero gets his second of the match, riding two challenges before firing into the bottom corner.

81 GOAL Aguero completes his hat-trick and piles on the misery for Villa after Kortney Hause loses possession.

Teams

Villa (3-5-2): Nyland, Konsa, Mings, Hause, Elmohamady, Drinkwater (Lansbury 79), Luiz (Nakamba 64), Hourihane (Trezeguet 71), Taylor, El Ghazi, Grealish Subs not used: Guilbert, Chester, Vassilev, Kalinic (gk).

Man City (4-3-3): Ederson, Cancelo, Fernandinho (Otamendi 62), Stones, Mendy, Rodrigo (Gundogan 71), D Silva, De Bruyne (Foden 62), Mahrez, G Jesus, Aguero Subs not used: Walker, Sterling, Silva, Foden, Bravo (gk).