Jackson scores twice as Villa beat City with 36 per cent of the ball

Aston Villa led in the 6th minute. John McGinn was credited with the assist and Nicolas Jackson scored, in front of 36,743 at Villa Park. Manchester City were behind at half-time, 1-0, and two of their players were already booked: Guéhi in the 32nd minute and Cherki in the 38th. Both were replaced at 46.

City replied in the 52nd minute. Erling Haaland scored, Iliman Ndiaye was credited with the assist, and the game was level. Villa were back in front in the 60th: Ibrahim Mbaye, on for Alysson in the 59th, was credited with the assist and Jackson scored his second. Neither side scored again.

The statistics sit firmly on City's side of the page. They had 64 per cent of possession, 543 passes to Villa's 314 and a pass accuracy of 89.9 per cent to 80.9. Of their 15 shots, seven were on target, four were off target and four were blocked; Villa's eight were two, three and three. City had 56 touches in the opposition box to 12, won seven corners to four and sent in 22 crosses to Villa's five. All of that produced one City goal.

Villa led in tackles, clearances and long balls. They made 31 tackles to City's 13, cleared 22 times to City's 15 and played 50 long balls to 33, and they covered 113.2km to City's 112.1km. The duels were almost level, 64 won by Villa and 63 by City, with the aerial duels at nine to eight. Fouls ran 21 for Villa and 17 for City.

Cards came for both sides, four yellows each. Villa's were Manzambi in the 54th minute, Cash in the 55th, Madjo in the 83rd and Buendía in the 90+5; City's were Guéhi, Cherki, Anderson in the 74th and McAidoo in the 76th. Villa's changes came at 59, 66 and 82 and City's at 46 and 69, and Madjo, who replaced Jackson in the 82nd minute, was booked in the 83rd. Unai Emery and Enzo Maresca both started with a four-two-three-one. City had the numbers. Villa had the score.

Villa have won two of the three meetings listed here. They won 2-1 away to City in May 2026 and 1-0 at home in October 2025, with City taking the other, 2-1 in April 2025. All three were in the Premier League.

In the table, Manchester City were first on 21 points from eight games. Arsenal were second on the same 21, with a goal difference of 8 against City's 11. Aston Villa were sixth on 11 points from eight games, one place below Liverpool, who had 12 from seven.