ASTON VILLA 0, MANCHESTER CITY 0
City failed to make a breakthrough against a determined Aston Villa side after losing Wilfried Bony to a hamstring injury in his left leg and subsequently failed to take the chances they had carved out at Villa Park.
Despite Table topping City’s generally good record against rock bottom Villa, it was always going to be tough facing them with a newly installed manager after playing a tough away game in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Manuel Pellegrini was wary of Villa’s new boss Remi Garde, and of the players and tactics that the Frenchman would deploy, but felt City should have won although he was overall pleased with the way that his team played.
He said: “It’s hard when you face a new manager and we waited to find out which team we were playing.
“We deserved to win the game but I was happy with the way we played, especially in the second half, but we were unlucky not to score.
“Without Bony and without Sergio Aguero we don’t have a player who plays inside the box. We have to try and work without them.”
There was only one change from the side that comprehensively beat Sevilla in Spain a few days ago, with Kevin De Bruyne replacing Jesus Navas but City’s attacking verve seemed to desert them against Villa.
City were already lacking attacking focus when they lost Bony to a hamstring injury after just 25 minutes.
And without the impetus to overrun a disciplined Villa side, City floundered despite the best efforts of early substitute Navas to up the tempo.
De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling were particularly wasteful attempting the spectacular when simpler finishes would have sufficed.
Brad Guzan didn’t know much about Sterling’s chance from Navas’ cross went straight into his face from three yards out while the England winger also tried to earn a penalty to no avail when the injured Sergio Aguero would have tried to take the shot that was on for Sterling before he went down.
The woodwork also saved Villa twice, from Kolarov and Fernando, and City were enraged when second half Villa substitute Rudy Gestede unsportingly launched the ball back to Joe Hart’s midriff from a throw-in to win a corner off the England ‘keeper after the ball had been put out of play to allow treatment to Charles N’Zogbia.
City are now unbeaten in nine games since their 4-1 defeat at White Hart Lane against Spurs in September but they left Villa Park needing Tottenham to do them a favour at the Emirates to keep Arsenal from taking over again at the top of the Premier League.