Jackson Double Hands Manchester City First Premier League Defeat at Aston Villa

Manchester City's flawless start to the Premier League season ended with a 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa, where Nicolas Jackson scored both goals for Unai Emery's rebuilt team.

Enzo Maresca had become the first manager to win his opening seven Premier League matches in charge of a new club. He could not find an answer at Villa Park, however, where City have now lost in each of the last four seasons.

Villa took the lead after only six minutes. A heavy touch from Marc Guehi gave Jackson the ball, and he cut inside Elliott Anderson before blasting a high shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma.

City controlled much of the rest of the first half but were repeatedly stopped by Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki. Iliman Ndiaye, Rayan Cherki and Abdukodir Khusanov were all denied, and Ndiaye then hit the post.

The pressure finally told on 52 minutes. Erling Haaland powered in a header from Ndiaye's cross, his 13th goal in 10 appearances this season. Moments later Josko Gvardiol came close to putting City ahead, but Suzuki turned his fierce drive onto the crossbar.

Villa answered on the hour mark. Ibrahim Mbaye was played in behind the City defence and crossed for Jackson, whose low shot should have been saved by Donnarumma. City pushed for another equaliser without success.

The result offers Arsenal the chance to move level on points with City at the top of the table if they beat Everton at home later on Saturday. For Villa, it was a sixth win in seven games in all competitions and lifts them to sixth place.

The win underlines the work Emery has done since arriving four years ago, turning Villa from a sleeping giant into a Champions League club. He has done it again despite losing much of the core of his squad. Six players who started Villa's victory in last season's Europa League left during the transfer window.

The summer signings of Jackson, Suzuki, Mbaye and Johan Manzambi are already paying off after a slow start to the campaign.

City had until now kept winning despite the cloud over their Premier League future. The 10-time English champions are appealing a guilty verdict on more than 100 charges of breaking financial rules between 2009 and 2018, which could bring heavy sanctions, including relegation. There was little sign of that affecting Maresca's players, but two sloppy defensive errors cost them at Villa Park.