The Football Pink

Seven played, seven won. Manchester City arrived at Villa Park with the only perfect record in the Premier League. They left with nothing, beaten by a striker who had two shots on target all lunchtime and scored with both.

Nicolas Jackson needed six minutes. Marc Guéhi took a poor touch, John McGinn pounced, and Jackson turned inside Elliot Anderson before lifting his finish high past Gianluigi Donnarumma. The 36,743 had barely settled.

City had the ball for almost two-thirds of the afternoon, and for long spells they looked like the better side. Iliman Ndiaye hit the post and had a penalty appeal waved away. Zion Suzuki saved from Rayan Cherki and Abdukodir Khusanov. Guéhi, already booked for hauling Jackson down on the edge of the box, didn't come back out for the second half.

Haaland strikes, Suzuki stands firm

The equaliser was coming, and it arrived seven minutes after the restart. Ndiaye crossed from the right, and Erling Haaland climbed highest to nod it in. This was the moment City usually press on and win.

Instead the game turned on a save. Josko Gvardiol was through moments later, and Suzuki stood up and blocked him. Unai Emery sent Ibrahim Mbaye on from the bench on 59 minutes. A minute later the substitute drove a low cross across the six-yard box, Jackson met it first time, and the ball squirmed under Donnarumma's left hand.

What a match. This is the highest level in football. Today was a good test for us.

Unai Emery, Aston Villa manager

Maatsen on the line

City pushed men forward and Villa hung on. The yellow cards piled up, and Ian Maatsen cleared Haaland's late header off the line. Jackson went off with eight minutes left to a standing ovation, and the inflatable fruit in the stands got a good waving.

It was Villa's first home league win of the season, and it came four years to the day since Emery took charge. It was also their fourth straight win over City at Villa Park.

I don't think we deserved to lose today - but we lost.

Enzo Maresca, Manchester City manager

He may well have a point. City's expected goals came to 1.79 against Villa's 0.61. But Jackson's goals were real, and so was City's first defeat.