Villa 1- 0 Man City: City battered and lucky to get away so lightly

Stunned. Just stunned.
I’ll update as I get my thoughts together, but we’ve just gone third, 2 points above City.

Wow. I’m still breathless.
I’ll cut to the quick.
We totally destroyed the the Champion’s league holder.
I’m listening to Pep now and he’s just said that quite simply the better team won. To me, that is some statement.

I’d said in the preview that City don’t look right. I suspect it’s tiredness and it showed. They offered very little and even Haarland never had a look in, the two quick sucession chances that Martinez saved apart.

Oops, I’m just listening to Unai, in a prolonged interview.
Interesting stuff. He said we need to remain balanced but we can also believe, while not being contenders.
I think even an old cynic like me already does, so I’m sure the new blood do, Unai. I have to say, the support sounded amazing today and I don’t know if that’s down to how Amazon set the sound up, but certainly my daughter said it was a great, buzzing atmosphere.

I don’t know where to start with the praise.
I said we needed to go at them and I don’t think the lads let us down in that area.
Were McGinn’s softer performances of late, deliberate, so he could save energy for this game?
It certainly seemed like it as he was a dynamo, that won us the all important midfield.
He was ably supported by Luiz, who helped to scare the crap out of City.

I don’t remember the last time I saw City put under the cosh like that.
I don’t currently have access to any stats, but I believe we won all of those that mattered. The last I saw, we’d had 16 shots against their 2.
We have now equalled a club record of 14 home wins. In our whole history. I’m honestly struggling to get my head round that one.

I’ve picked a couple of players out, but it seems a bit unfair, because this was simply a great all round performance. So many players would justify an 8 or even 9 out of ten.

I specifically left one player out on purpose.
Take a big fat bow, Leon Bailey.
I’d written this bloke off a few months back, but Emery made a point of saying how committed he now is. So obviously he wasn’t before. He was excellent today and contributed majorly in scaring Man City’s defence.
You can decide if he or McGinn get MOTM.

I’m giving 10 out of 10 to the fans, who sounded superb.
We should make no mistake here. What we witnessed today is on a par with as good as it gets.
Only winning silverware betters that, to my mind.

Amazon also get a big shout, because I really like their format.
It’s a shame we won’t be seeing them in the next allocation, imo.

Arsenal up next!

UTV!