Villa began on the front foot, getting at City’s defence and causing problems for their new defensive pairing of Corluka and Richards. It took 9 minutes before City had any meaningful possession, the culmination of which was a long range effort from Corluka which he struck well enough but was well wide. City’s defence was looking shakey from set-pieces and on 14mins there was real chaos in their box when Schmeichel flapped at a cross but Villa couldn’t capitalise.
The home sides’ attacking players got into gear soon after, Vassell getting on the end of a Petrov free kick but flicked his header wide on 16mins. Moments later Petrov himself was on the end of a move which saw him volley wide. Johnson was then put through by the masterful Elano but could only hit his shot straight at the onrushing
City’s spell of pressure was short lived though and Villa soon asserted themselves. On 20mins Schmeichel was again all over the place from a corner but again City’s luck held.
Villa’s best chance fell to Agbonlahor on 24mins when he got on the end of Carew’s flick on but couldn’t finish form the tight angle.
The first half finished an as an entertaining end-to-end affair without any real goal scoring opportunities.
The second half was only 3 minutes old when Johnson picked up the ball in the centre circle, played a one-two off Elano before charging into the box and unleashing a well placed shot past
Villa, who were the better side in the first half, pushed on for an equaliser with Carew, Agbonlahor and Young all getting half chances but failing to find the net. The game became stretched, as it did at the end of the first half, but it never really sparked into life as the rain became heavier with an hour gone.
On 72mins Schmeichel seemed determined to hand Villa a goal as again he was caught in no-mans-land only for the resulting goal to be disallowed for hand-ball. City began to get more conservative as the half drew on. On 82mins Elano was withdrawn for left back Michael Ball spelling the end of City’s attacking ambition.
But it was City who were to have the best of the remaining chances as Villa continued to look for an equaliser in vain. Johnson made another surging run into the box, on 86mins, only for 2 Villa defenders to block his shot. Bianchi, on as a late substitute, looked lively for City and in stoppage time almost got a goal as he rounded
Villa will be ruing their lack of precision in front of goal in a match they could easily have won against a Man City side which don’t quite look like a unit but who showed they have some very good players in the attacking third.
Man of the Match – Elano – the most creative player on the pitch by some distance
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