Aston Villa 2-1 Man City: Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers on target for the Villans as Pep Guardiola’s side fall to their sixth league defeat of the season

Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan wandered back inside with hands over their mouths. In conversation rather than shock because this is no surprise anymore. 

Heaven knows what they could have been discussing – all of that has been done as well. Manchester City must be all talked out.

Insipid again. Uninspiring on the ball. Lacking backbone without it. We’ve seen all that before. It’s the rubbish Christmas film on repeat and they can’t locate the remote.

Recording the number of points they are adrift of Liverpool is a pointless exercise now and City could conceivably by ninth by the end of the weekend.

Aston Villa gently leapfrogged them, led by Youri Tielemans and a young man in Morgan Rogers who City let go for relative peanuts. Rogers was instrumental in the opener, scored the clincher and will feel he has proven something of a point to a club who he believes never gave him an opportunity to showcase what might be possible.

Rogers bounced between loan spells – some good, some indifferent – before Middlesbrough took a punt and made a fine profit on him. He’s now an England international. Cole Palmer and Liam Delap haven’t done badly elsewhere either. James McAtee – who can’t buy a minute, let alone a start – will likely see his career head in a similar direction if he ever departs.

The hosts took the initiative from kick off and remained in control of the action throughout

Pep Guardiola’s side have now won just one of their last 12 games in all competitions

That’s bigger picture stuff and speaking of which, City were making it known in the minutes before a ninth defeat in 12 that the idea of them signing three or four players next month is ‘fantasy’. 

Anybody who thinks that level of churn isn’t required immediately might as well take up residence in Magic Kingdom.

In the here and now, Guardiola cannot find a way out of this rut which, given Everton, Leicester, West Ham and Salford City are next, should come to a decisive end soon but it is a brave person to predict that with certainty.

Becoming more robust in recent weeks, Villa had the playbook. Sit and wait for City to mess up with a laboured press. Hit them on the break, preying on a shot back four. It could and should have been worse than a one-goal defeat.

Keep it tight, no messing about early doors might have been the quite reasonable message by Guardiola as they went out. If it was then those words went unheeded, Stefan Ortega – in for the injured Ederson – making two huge saves in the opening 150 seconds.

First when John McGinn pounced on Josko Gvardiol’s indecision, allowing Jhon Duran to sprint clear. Ortega tipped a tame effort wide, then scrambling to keep out a Pau Torres header from the resulting corner as Ilkay Gundogan slept at the near post.

City were creating bits and bobs in a half they dominated the ball without constantly threatening. Jack Grealish, often the free man, couldn’t manipulate enough bend on one effort and later saw a cross glanced over by Gvardiol. 

Villa supporters, whose jeering later saw Grealish accompanied down the tunnel by a security guard, were cheered by their former hero slicing a shot for a throw-in.

Villa were leading long before then, beating a non-existent defensive unit parted by one Youri Tielemans pass. 

Stefan Ortega was forced into action early and produced a phenomenal save to deny Duran

But the Colombian would get another opportunity minutes later and this time converted 

After seeming destined to leave Villa this summer, Duran is the club’s top scorer this season

Tensions between the two teams came close to boiling over at half time as Jack Grealish clashed with Emi Martinez

Erling Haaland largely suffered from a lack of service throughout the game at Villa Park

John Stones, off at half time, was out of position and Rogers galloped clear, saw Duran in his periphery and the striker bounced past Ortega. Guardiola’s arms were long folded with an air of grim acceptance.

That has been a theme of City’s demise. No protection in midfield – or players in that area overcommitting to nick possession they had no business doing – and then panicked defenders incapable of dealing with the pace flooding at them. 

Evident again much later on when Manuel Akanji sold himself on halfway, City all at sea, only for Matty Cash to thunder into the side netting.

And again when Duran just strayed offside before believing he’d nicked a second. It’s reached a point where Einstein would have something to say about City’s set up.

Duran almost robbed Ortega of possession inside the away box; Rogers rode challenges to smash into the post.

Warnings are optional at City right now though. With 25 minutes left, in what had been a painful second-half display, the visitors allowed Rogers to go running. He ran and ran, probably around 50 yards.

He took three defenders out of the game but that description is almost overdoing the piece of trickery. 

He was afforded the space to go running and, once becoming bored and popping off to McGinn, was then given space by half-time substitute Kyle Walker to slash across Ortega.

Unai Emery’s side started the second half brightly and doubled their advantage through Rogers

The 22-year-old spent four years in Manchester before departing for Middlesbrough in 2023

Youri Tielemans was integral to Villa’s success in midfield and was named player of the match

Phil Foden netted for the visitors deep into stoppage time but could not inspire a comeback

Guardiola’s frustration was palpable on the touchline as his side’s dismal run continued

A moment Rogers deserved. Not just for this performance, where he was a constant thorn, but for the journey that saw him reach this point. 

That one of his crowning days as a Villa star came against former employers will taste very sweet indeed.

Phil Foden fired in a consolation after a Lucas Digne mistake, although a comeback was never on. 

‘We scored a goal,’ they sang in the away end. At least they still have their humour.