Steven Gerrard received an apology from referee Simon Hooper after a blunder cost him the chance to derail the champs.
Villa’s under-pressure boss confronted the match official after the final whistle as he came within a whisker of putting the brakes on Pep Guardiola & Co.
Erling Haaland's seventh Premier League goal this week early in the second-half — his tenth in total - had put the visitors in the driving seat as they appeared to be cruising to victory. But a crackerjack strike from Leon Bailey set Villa Park alight before sub Philippe Coutinho temporarily lifted home fans from their seats by appearing to grab the winner. He was flagged offside - however VAR showed afterwards that the Brazilian playmaker was not infringing.
But, because Hooper had blown his whistle to stop play, the incident could not be reviewed and Villa’s chance of recording a morale-boosting victory was scuppered.
Gerrard was philosophical enough afterwards, although clearly a little frustrated.
He said: “I’ve spoken to the officials - calmly - after the game. I’ve given them enough time before speaking to them and asked for their side of it.
“Listen, I always try to understand their side of things. The referee has blown his whistle too soon. I know there’s a slight rule change in not waiting too long before these whistles and flags.
“I understand that. But I think that when it’s so tight, it’s worth that little bit of extra time. We could have scored a second goal tonight.
“Obviously that moment and that decision has gone against us but fair play to the officials, they’ve recognised that in the room afterwards. They recognised they were too quick to whistle.
“If you make a mistake, you own up to it. I think the officials are beginning to understand that they have to give us a reason. I’m not going to sit here and criticise but that one went against us.”
Villa had a game plan to frustrate - and it worked as Manchester City faded following a bright start that should have reaped reward.
As it was, they had to wait until four minutes after the break when a delicious cross from Kevin de Bruyne was met on the volley just a few yards out by you-know-who.
But Haaland’s goal sparked a response and Villa set up a frantic finale when Jacob Ramsey was given the space to drive forward on their left.
His pull-back across the face of goal was met by Bailey who fizzed a strike past Ederson.
Within a few minutes, Villa thought they had scored again. But after that, it was all hands to the pump as the visitors pressed.
Keeper Emi Martinez came to his side’s rescue a couple of times but Riyad Mahrez took the wrong option just eight yards out in the dying minutes. He screwed a shot wide - with Haaland ready to pounce alongside him - and Villa just made it over the finishing line.
Guardiola said: “It was a good game. We’ve conceded just one goal from one shot on target in 90 minutes.
“But we were not precise enough in our touches in the final third and our simple things, especially in the first half. We had chances to score a second when the game was in our hands - but didn’t.”
Manchester City’s boss will run a check on defender Kyle Walker who has suffered a suspected hamstring strain ahead of this week’s Champions League opener against Seville.
As for Gerrard, this was a welcome point to lift the clouds of doom that have descended on Villa Park.
He said: “The players stuck at it. I don’t think anyone gave us a chance before a ball was kicked so it was important we had belief inside the dressing-room. I’m really pleased and proud of what the players achieved today. I don’t think anyone can begrudge us that. It’s a really big point.”
