Manchester City Edge Closer to Premier League Title with Victory over Aston VillaManchester City Edge Closer to Premier League Title with Victory over Aston Villa Manchester City took another decisive step towards securing the Premier League trophy with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday. The reigning champions now sit eight points clear at the summit of the standings, with just four games remaining in the season. Despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances in the first half, City found themselves behind in the 37th minute. John McGinn pounced on a loose ball in the penalty area and fired home to give Villa a shock lead. However, City responded with characteristic resilience and equalized on the stroke of half-time. Bernardo Silva drifted in from the left flank and played a perfect low cross for Rodri to coolly slot home from close range. The second half was a more open affair, with both teams creating chances. City took the lead in the 50th minute when Ilkay Gündogan’s deflected effort beat Emiliano Martínez in the Villa goal. Villa pushed for an equalizer, but City’s defense held firm. Riyad Mahrez put the game beyond doubt in injury time with a stunning strike from the edge of the area, sealing an important three points for Pep Guardiola’s side. “It was a tough game, especially in the first half,” said Guardiola after the match. “We had chances but couldn’t score, and they scored from a set-piece. But we kept going, and in the second half, we played much better. We scored three goals, and now we’re close to the title.” With just four games remaining, City need only four more points to clinch their sixth Premier League title in the past decade. They face Wolverhampton Wanderers, Newcastle United, West Ham United, and Aston Villa in their final fixtures of the season.
