This was the first chance for Manchester City players to post an on-field riposte to the Premier League charges and they did not disappoint.
A three-goal, opening-half blitz put Aston Villa away via their particular brand of shock and awe that has been missing since the September-October period when they reeled off 24 goals and six wins in a row. One blot – particularly for the trip to Arsenal on Wednesday – was the kick suffered to Erling Haaland’s thigh, which meant he was taken off at half-time.
Back in the autumn, as this afternoon, they could score at will and leave opponents with an inferiority complex so after the past eight days this was the apt performance. The 101 counts of alleged financial wrongdoing – which City deny – had drawn an emotional “coach welcome” as Pep Guardiola and the squad arrived to fans who held banners that declaimed “Fuck the Premier League” and “Investigate That” (with a finger in an obscene position), while the Premier League’s anthem was booed before kick-off.
At the end, City were three points behind Arsenal before their trip to the Emirates: win there and Guardiola’s team will be top, on goal difference.
Of Haaland, Guardiola said: “We will see in the next days how he will do. At half-time I spoke with the doctors and they say: ‘Maybe don’t take risks.’ I agree. I think it is not injured but tomorrow we will see. If there is some risks he is not going to play.”
Inside 30 seconds, City had the frights put up them. Ollie Watkins fed Leon Bailey and his shot was deflected for a corner. This came to nothing, unlike the hosts’ first such same kick: Riyad Mahrez floated the ball in from the left and Rodri’s header squeezed past Emiliano Martínez: the roar that greeted this came with extra decibels, which was no surprise.
For a No 1 who can be cocksure, this opener was a black mark against Martínez and a reminder how the game can bite the posterior. But the Argentinian redeemed himself when, moments later Rodri swapped passes with Kevin De Bruyne, and Ilkay Gündogan unloaded: Martínez, diving right, saved. Next a pell-mell passage for the keeper had Haaland crashing into him and Gündogan finishing but Robert Jones ruled this out for the No 9’s foul.
City were rampant: a state that has been a rarity recently. Jack Grealish went close to a showstopping volley that would have muted the fans of the side he used to captain and who taunted him. Then, Haaland missed from close range. Guardiola configured his side in a 3-2-2-3, perhaps to tighten the gaps when out of possession that have been troubling him. Yet as his men were back in their familiar ball-hogging, free-flowing groove, the defence was underworked.
Kyle Walker’s pass initiated their next move, feeding Rodri who tapped to De Bruyne. The Belgian skipped inside as if a fleet-footed winger and scattered Villa, Grealish received, and his curling effort required a Martínez glove to save.
City’s second was a combination of De Bruyne’s genius and Haaland’s powerhouse pace. The former, seeing the latter lurking, swivelled and hit a no-look chip. Martínez rushed out and Calum Chambers panicked and headed the ball past the keeper who was overtaken by a galloping Haaland: the Norwegian rolled the ball to the far post and Gündogan scored.
A scintillating opening 45 minutes ended with Grealish being tripped by Jacob Ramsey in the area, Jones gave the penalty, and Mahrez made it 3-0. For the second period Julián Álvarez and Manuel Akanji replaced Haaland and Rúben Dias and City strolled on. De Bruyne, Grealish and Álvarez combined to tee up Rodri, whose effort was held low by Martínez.
As a contest this was over. Álvarez took a pot-shot, Walker surged 50 yards, the City faithful told each other to “stand up for the champions”, which they did. Watkins scored, after a midfield mix-up involving Bernardo Silva that allowed him to pad forward and beat Ederson. And though City continued to be a touch sloppy – Ederson had to scramble clear and Jhon Durán hit the bar late on – the display, overall, might signal they are coming into prime form at the business end of the campaign.
If victorious over Arsenal, in north London, City will have overturned an eight-point deficit in 27 days and the quest to emulate Manchester United in the Premier League era by claiming three successive crowns will be squarely in their hands.
One more moment of defiance may have come at the final whistle when Panic, by The Smiths, was played. That song is not a usual choice here. The silk who will defend City before the independent commission and who will hear the charges is Lord Pannick KC. Though, of course, that may just have been a coincidence.
