Aston Villa end Manchester City’s perfect start with 2-1 win

Nicolas Jackson scored twice as Villa overturned City’s unbeaten run in a lunchtime clash at Villa Park.

By Felo News Desk · Published Sat, 24 Oct 2026 14:53:46 GMT

Aston Villa secured a 2-1 victory over Manchester City at Villa Park on Monday, ending City’s seven‑match winning streak in the Premier League, according to four outlets.

What happened

Jackson opened the scoring after six minutes, capitalising on a mistake by Manchester City defender Marc Guehi, as reported by the Independent. City equalised early in the second half when Erling Haaland headed in Iliman Ndiaye’s cross, a detail noted by both the Independent and Al Jazeera. Jackson restored Villa’s lead around the hour mark with a second strike, securing the win, per Al Jazeera and the Daily Mail live feed.

What the reports add

Al Jazeera highlighted that Villa’s goalkeeper Zion Suzuki made several key saves to preserve the lead. The Independent noted that manager Enzo Maresca made a double‑change at halftime, replacing Guehi and Rayan Cherki with Rico Lewis and Phil Foden, the latter being benched despite a recent Champions League hat‑trick. The Daily Mail emphasized Maresca’s historic start, having won his first seven league games, a record previously held by Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti and Ole Gunnar Solskjær. The Guardian’s live blog provided minute‑by‑minute updates but did not add new statistical details.

What was said

Al Jazeera quoted the match commentary: “Jackson blasted home the opener after just six minutes.” The Independent reported that “Jackson, signed from Chelsea as part of the club’s drastic rebuild this summer, has now scored four goals in his last four appearances for Villa in the Premier League.” No direct quotes from managers or players were included in the source texts.

How it came about

City entered the match on a perfect six‑game run, having secured a 3‑0 win at Liverpool a week earlier, a result covered in Felo’s article on 12 October 2026. Their unbeaten start had been under scrutiny after an independent commission found the club guilty of 114 of 115 financial‑fair‑play breaches, a story Felo reported on 9 October 2026. Villa’s recent form had been buoyed by a 1‑0 win over Newcastle United on 17 October 2026, as detailed in another Felo piece. The victory at Villa Park therefore represents both a tactical upset and a continuation of Villa’s rising momentum.

Key facts

Aston Villa beat Manchester City 2-1 at Villa Park. (aljazeera.com)
Nicolas Jackson scored both Villa goals. (independent.co.uk)
Erling Haaland scored for City, heading in Iliman Ndiaye’s cross. (independent.co.uk)
Enzo Maresca made a double‑change at halftime, bringing on Rico Lewis and Phil Foden. (independent.co.uk)
Villa’s goalkeeper Zion Suzuki made several key saves. (aljazeera.com)