Manchester City v Aston Villa (2021-22)

Manchester City v Aston Villa (2021-22)

Manchester City Aston Villa 3 2
HT:0–1 Report
Event	Premier League 2021-22
Date	Sunday 22 May 2022
Venue	City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester
Player of the Match	Philippe Coutinho
Referee	Michael Oliver
Attendance	53,395
Weather	21 °C (69 °F)
← Man City - West Ham Aston Villa - Burnley Man City - América Aston Villa - Chasetown →

Manchester City v Aston Villa was a match which took place at City of Manchester Stadium on Sunday 22 May 2022.

Manchester City staged a stunning late comeback with three goals in five minutes to beat Aston Villa and win the Premier League as their title chances looked to be slipping away amid dramatic scenes at Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola's side needed victory to secure their fourth title in five seasons but were facing the prospect of ending the season empty-handed as goals either side of the interval from Matty Cash and Philippe Coutinho put Villa 2-0 ahead and in control.

It looked as if Villa manager Steven Gerrard might help his former club Liverpool secure the title - until City turned the game on its head in an atmosphere bordering on hysteria.

Ilkay Gundogan, on as a substitute for Bernardo Silva, gave City hope with a far-post header in the 76th minute, and Etihad Stadium was a wall of noise when Rodri drove a low finish past Villa keeper Robin Olsen two minutes later.

The title-winning recovery was complete with nine minutes left as Gundogan once again arrived at the far post to put City in front, the decisive contribution on this nerve-shredding final day.

City did need those three points as Liverpool beat Wolverhampton Wanderers - with City boss Guardiola overcome with emotion and breaking down in tears at the final whistle.

When Coutinho slid in Villa's second goal, it looked as if the most unpalatable of storylines was being written for Manchester City.

The notion of this supremely talented side ending the season with nothing was in clear view as City knew they had 21 minutes to score three times.

The headlines were being written in large type with Gerrard, who never won the Premier League title during his long career at Liverpool, directing the trophy to Anfield, helped by his former team-mate Coutinho.

And then, in one of the most dramatic twists of any Premier League title race, City knocked down the door that had been firmly slammed in their face by a supremely well-organised Villa.

City looked crestfallen but showed their class and character once Gundogan gave them hope with that header, and they scented their chance, even though some of their fans still feared this might only be a consolation.

Rodri's equaliser was the transformative moment, a sense of inevitability sweeping around a fevered stadium, with a mixture of disbelief and elation the result as Gundogan slid home the third.

Villa did not know what had hit them and had no response, supporters flooding on to the pitch when referee Michael Oliver sounded the final whistle amid a deafening din.

City have had their character questioned this season, especially when they let the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid slip from their grasp, but there can be no more doubts after this.

The manner in which they turned this game around with the title - and their entire season - on the line was the perfect answer. They were heading towards the most bitter disappointment but transformed this day into one they and their supporters will remember forever.

It was little wonder Guardiola broke down at the conclusion of a truly remarkable afternoon.

For Aston Villa, there was nothing significant riding on the game - but the way they went about trying to win it was typical of the Premier League's competitive integrity.

Gerrard and Coutinho's Liverpool connections added the sub-plot. And every part of this storyline delivered.

Villa were solid, disciplined and a real threat on the break, homing in on 37-year-year-old Fernadinho as a defensive weak point for Manchester City.

It worked as City, unusually flat in attack, were vulnerable at the back. When Villa went 2-0 up, it looked as if their season would end in a landmark win - and for Gerrard, the added satisfaction of seeing his beloved boyhood club win the title.

And yet, they were over-run as the City machine suddenly hit top gear, roared forward thunderously by fans whose mood had changed from despair to expectation.

The first 70 minutes at least demonstrated that Gerrard has something to build on. After that, though, Villa were simply swept aside on the tide of Manchester City's power plus the noise and emotion inside Etihad Stadium.

Match

Details

22 May 2022 16:00 GMT	Manchester City	3–2	Aston Villa	City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester Attendance: 53,395 Referee: Michael Oliver
	Gündoğan  76', 81' Rodri  78'	HT:0–1 Report	Cash  37' Coutinho  69'

Manchester City

Aston Villa

31 Ederson 05 John Stones 25 Fernandinho 45' 14 Aymeric Laporte 27 João Cancelo 16 Rodri 17 Kevin De Bruyne 20 Bernardo Silva 68' 26 Riyad Mahrez 56' 09 Gabriel Jesus 47 Phil Foden Substitutes: 02 Kyle Walker 06 Nathan Aké 07 Raheem Sterling 56' 08 İlkay Gündoğan 68' 10 Jack Grealish 11 Oleksandr Zinchenko 45' 33 Scott Carson 80 Cole Palmer 87 James McAtee Manager: Pep Guardiola

25 Robin Olsen 02 Matty Cash 16 Calum Chambers 05 Tyrone Mings 27 Lucas Digne 06 Douglas Luiz 07 John McGinn 41 Jacob Ramsey 83' 10 Emi Buendía 88' 23 Philippe Coutinho 72' 11 Ollie Watkins Substitutes: 08 Morgan Sanson 15 Bertrand Traoré 18 Ashley Young 88' 19 Marvelous Nakamba 72' 20 Danny Ings 83' 33 Carney Chukwuemeka 38 Viljami Sinisalo 45 Ben Chrisene 47 Tim Iroegbunam Manager: Steven Gerrard

Man of the Match: Philippe Coutinho Assistant referees: Stuart Burt Simon Bennett Fourth official: David Coote

Match rules 90 minutes, no extra time or penalties. Three points awarded to winner, none to loser. One point awarded to each in the event of a draw. Nine named substitutes Maximum of three substitutions

Match Stats

• Match Stats

Overall	Manchester City	Aston Villa
Goals scored	3	2
Total shots	24	4
Shots on target	5	2
Ball possession	72%	28%
Corner kicks	13	1
Fouls committed	5	11

See also

• 2021-22 Premier League: Match day 38

External links

• Match report at BBC.co.uk
• Match report at Premier League.com

Aston Villa v Manchester City

Premier League

2019–20 · 2021–22