(Football news) While Unai Emery’s team easily defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0, Manchester City had to settle for a point in a goalless draw with their bitter rivals, Arsenal.
Manchester City had not been blanked in front of goal at home since a boring Champions League match against Sporting Lisbon in the 2021–22 season. In fact, the last time their team was shut out in a Premier League match at the Etihad was in October 2021, for the supporters of the Citizens.
On Easter Sunday, though, the triple winners had to endure ninety minutes of misery due to Arsenal, led by Saliba and Magalhaes. In a nail-biting stalemate with Mikel Arteta’s team, they failed to score for the first time in 57 home games across all competitions.
As was the case in October’s equally cagey affair at the Emirates, only three shots on target were fired in the entirety of the tense tactical battle – only one of which came Man City’s way – and as a result, Pep Guardiola’s troops still reside in the bronze medal position in the Premier League standings.
One point separates the holders from second-placed Arsenal, who also return to action on Wednesday night – squaring up to Luton Town – but Liverpool have now strode three clear of the Citizens, who need a five-goal swing in their favour on Wednesday to usurp the Reds for at least 24 hours.
Despite losing their red-hot streak in front of the Etihad nets, Sunday’s stalemate with the Gunners was Manchester City’s 23rd game without a loss across all competitions since December, although there are no prizes on offer for guessing who Guardiola’s men were last condemned to defeat against.
Fresh from his first call-up to the France squad in 12 months, the rejuvenated Moussa Diaby was the catalyst behind Aston Villa’s two-goal beating of West Midlands rivals Wolves on Saturday, opening the scoring in the first half of the Villa Park battle with a thumping left-footed strike.
The former Bayer Leverkusen winger then turned provider for Ezri Konsa, whose mishit cross ended up deceiving Jose Sa and bouncing over the line at the back post to rubber-stamp a routine two-goal success for Emery’s men, who therefore remain in control of their top-four fate.
Taking just one point from two games with West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur opened the door for the latter to upset the Champions League apple cart, but the Lions still boast a three-point advantage over the Lilywhites, who do have a game in hand but possess a slightly inferior goal difference.
Of course, fifth place might still be enough to secure a spot in Europe’s top table, but with all the uncertainty surrounding UEFA, Villa’s only concern is maintaining their incredible record of eight straight wins away from home in 2024. Under Emery, the team has won all eight of its away games this year after suffering a heartbreaking loss to Manchester United on Boxing Day.
Aston Villa has also kept a clean sheet in five of those eight games, something they also accomplished in December during their historic 1-0 victory over Man City at home. However, it will be very difficult to repeat that performance, as the Lions have lost 13 straight Premier League games away to the defending champions.
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