Aston Villa vs. Manchester City: Winners and Losers from the Premier League
Aston Villa got off to a fantastic start to life under Remi Garde on Sunday, drawing 0-0 with Manchester City thanks to a hard-fought and committed performance. They rode their luck at times but will feel good value for a point.
The Citizens missed a slew of chances in both halves, with Aleksandar Kolarov striking the post via a Brad Guzan fumble, Raheem Sterling missing two sitters, Kevin De Bruyne kicking his own standing foot when shooting from five yards and Vincent Kompany slamming a header against the bar in stoppage time.
Villa, though resilient and well-organised, will be counting their blessings after that.
Here, B/R picks its winners and losers from the game.
Winner: Remi Garde, Aston Villa
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There may have been an element of luck involved, but Remi Garde emerges as a big winner after Sunday’s performance. His first game in charge of the club at the bottom of the Premier League yielded a point and a clean sheet against Manchester City.
"Win, lose or draw, Remi Garde—through his tactics [and] selection—has made an absolute mug of Tim Sherwood [and] a lot of media folk today,” BetBright’s Cian Carroll tweeted midway through the game.
The sentiment is spot on: Garde’s appointment was criticised by UK-centric media who lack continental awareness, and a number of broadsheet journalists who confusingly defended the dismal job predecessor Sherwood was doing may have something fresh to chew over here.
For once, Villa played their best players (bar the unfit Jack Grealish) in a workable formation and prospered as a result.
Loser: Raheem Sterling, Manchester City
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Raheem Sterling had a shocking day in front of goal, and his lack of productivity directly cost Manchester City two points.
When streaming through one-on-one in the first half, he refused to shoot with his left foot. Instead, he cut inside back toward the covering defender and ended up losing out in a 50-50 challenge with Ciaran Clark. Appeals for a penalty were made, and it was a tough one to call, though the fact that Sterling even found himself in that position—he should have just shot—is bad enough.
In the second half, a Jesus Navas cross gave him the chance to score a free header, but he nodded it straight at the goalkeeper with each side wide-open from six yards. He was eventually hauled off.
Winner: Jesus Navas, Manchester City
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If Raheem Sterling is to go into the loser’s column, it’s fair to list Jesus Navas among the winners. The Spaniard came on for the injured Wilfried Bony in the first half and put his colleague’s attempts in the final third to shame.
Navas was a constant source of production. He stretched the pitch, provided accurate crosses and had good pace over the top. Jordan Amavi will be relieved to see the back of him until 2016.
Given the two are ostensibly fighting for the same spot in the side, this is a personal victory for Navas.
Loser: Yaya Toure, Manchester City
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Yaya Toure looked rather ineffectual in the heart of Manchester City’s midfield, with a familiar lethargic stride invading his game midway through the first half as it became clear things weren’t going his way.
He was lucky to avoid being substituted at half-time, following some poor hospital passes in the first period that set Villa up with chances to counter-attack. He did eventually exit the fray for the more willing and enthusiastic Kelechi Iheanacho.
It’s in games like these—when City are dominant but can’t unlock the door—that Yaya must step forward and make the difference—particularly when David Silva and Sergio Aguero are both out injured.
Winner: Carles Gil, Aston Villa
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Tim Sherwood criminally under-used Carles Gil and no one really understood why. Whenever he’s played, he’s looked bright and chirpy, and his game-changing performance off the bench against Tottenham Hotspur last week meant he was trusted to start Remi Garde’s first match off the wing.
He excelled.
Taken off midway through the second half largely due to exhaustion, Gil looked superb in possession and interacted superbly with the full-backs and deeper midfielders. He drifted inside to great effect and looked classy on the ball.
A new manager means a fresh slate for all, and Gil has done nothing but impress since Garde has been employed by Aston Villa. That should lead to more starts for the most exciting, flashy player on the Birmingham club’s roster.
