Man City lost 0-1 to Villa, ending their 9-game unbeaten run in all competitions. The British media "Daily Mail" commented on Manchester City's loss.
The Post wrote:
The unbeaten record was fixed at nine games, Haaland's consecutive goal momentum stayed at 12 games, and Manchester City actually shared the same points with Manchester United.
The feeling of this defeat is completely different from the other two defeats in the Premier League this season. During the away game against Brighton at the end of August, the whole team was at a loss. Guardiola's captains gathered together to discuss the team's standards. Defeat at Villa Park would not have elicited the same reaction.
The players' physical actions on the field were one of frustration rather than giving up. It is obvious that Manchester City failed to implement some of the specific details arranged by Guardiola. It was annoying, but the team was even more confused against Brighton.
For this reason, this 0-1 defeat should not cause panic. In the second half, especially after Nico Gonzalez and O'Reilly came on the scene, the core elements required by Guardiola were all present, especially in terms of ball control. The problem was that Villa had Konsa at the back and the second penalty was always grabbed by Villa, while Onana dominated the midfield.
If second-ranked Bournemouth really overturns Manchester City at the Etihad next Sunday, it may need to re-evaluate its recent state. But for now, it seems that Guardiola's team is still on the right track. Guardiola said: "The energy in the second half was very good and we made adjustments. I feel that the team is alive and playing well. The same period last season was much worse."
Guardiola was referring to Villa's 2-1 victory over Manchester City before Christmas last year. After a recent review, Guardiola called the game "a mess", but he obviously believed that the tactical thinking was correct. He again used Stones in midfield. Manchester City's high defense played a bold game with Villa's attackers and basically stabilized their position in the difficult first half.
Although Reinders is talented, defending the fortress alone is not his strong point, especially when the four people in front of him fail to protect him. A lack of aggression is a common feeling, and against a strong opponent like Vera, this problem will be exploited.
Although he is 6 points behind Arsenal, Guardiola does not seem to be overly worried: "I will not think about 'what if we fail to win the league title' in October and November. Now we have to take it one step at a time. During the international break in September, we were ranked 14th and Liverpool was seven or eight points ahead. That is worth worrying about. Our task is not to focus on the standings. If Arsenal win and win the championship, then congratulate them, that's all."