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.
