Arab News | Jackson double ends Man City’s perfect run as Villa win 2-1

LONDON: Aston Villa snapped Manchester City’s perfect Premier League run with a 2-1 home victory on Saturday as Nicolas Jackson struck in each half to hand Enzo Maresca’s men a damaging defeat amid the turmoil surrounding the club’s off-field financial case.

City remain top with 21 points, but the setback opens the door for Arsenal to draw level later on Saturday when they host Everton with the chance to erase the three-point gap.

Unai Emery’s team climbed to sixth on 11 points with their first league victory at Villa Park this season and third successive league win over City, who are playing under the shadow of a guilty verdict on 114 breaches of Premier League financial rules. City have always denied any wrongdoing, and have appealed.

Jackson took advantage of two City blunders, opening the scoring in the sixth minute when defender Marc Guehi’s heavy touch allowed Villa captain John McGinn to pounce and feed the striker, who slotted the ball into the bottom corner. Erling Haaland equalized soon after the break for his seventh goal in his last seven away league games when he headed home Iliman Ndiaye’s clipped cross from a free kick.

But Jackson struck the winner on the hour when Ibrahim Mbaye surged down the right before cutting the ball back for his Senegal international teammate, whose shot sneaked under the diving body of keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. “It was incredible, we got the win which is the most important thing. Man City are a strong team, the league leaders,” Jackson told TNT Sports. “It’s just the beginning, we’re trying to work game by game.”

City pressed for the equalizer in the dying minutes, with Ian Maatsen nodding a Haaland header off the line near the end and a string of brilliant saves from Zion Suzuki helping seal Villa’s fourth straight home victory over City.