Crisis-Hit Manchester City Slump To 2-1 Defeat At Aston Villa

Aston Villa beat crisis-hit Manchester City 2-1 on Saturday to heap more misery on floundering manager Pep Guardiola, who has now suffered nine defeats in his past 12 matches.

Aston Villa beat crisis-hit Manchester City 2-1 on Saturday to heap more misery on floundering manager Pep Guardiola, who has now suffered nine defeats in his past 12 matches. Jhon Duran finished off a fine team move to give the home side an early lead and Morgan Rogers doubled Villa's advantage in the 65th minute. Phil Foden scored his first Premier League goal of the season in stoppage time but it proved to be too little too late. Pep Guardiola, in the worst run of his glittering career, said Friday that "sooner or later" things will turn around but City's fear factor has vanished.

The win lifts Unai Emery's inconsistent Villa team to fifth in the Premier League table, one place above sinking City.

Guardiola made six changes to the team side that lost last week's Manchester derby, bringing in goalkeeper Stefan Ortega and reshaping his defence with Rico Lewis, John Stones and Manuel Akanji.

Mateo Kovacic and Jack Grealish also returned.

But the defending champions started the match in chaotic fashion and could have been behind inside 20 seconds.