Matheus Nunes scored a stoppage-time winner for Manchester City to earn a dramatic 2-1 victory over Aston Villa that lifts them up to third in the Premier League table.

It sparked jubilant scenes of celebration inside the Etihad Stadium with Pep Guardiola leading them, his side now well placed to secure Champions League football next season having put an end to their rivals’ five-game winning run in the league.

Bernardo Silva put City ahead early but Marcus Rashford, who had hit the post after 17 seconds, levelled for Villa from the penalty spot following a VAR intervention for a foul by Ruben Dias on Jacob Ramsey. City continued to push and push for the winner.

Nunes found it and his goal means City are now one point ahead of Nottingham Forest in the Champions League spots, with Unai Emery’s Villa still seventh – albeit only four points behind City. The race remains close. But this was a huge moment for City.

How it played out at Etihad

“He has made a big call,” said Roy Keane before kick-off in reference to Emery’s decision to start Rashford ahead of Ollie Watkins, who has impressed in his past two Premier League performances. But Rashford was a livewire from the opening seconds.

He struck the post after 17 of them, an early warning of Villa’s ability to cause problems for City. But Villa’s task became more difficult when Emiliano Martinez somehow allowed Silva’s shot to squirm past him after good work by Omar Marmoush out wide.

Guardiola opted to play Silva alongside Mateo Kovacic in midfield, with Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan ahead of them. The quartet are all over 30 and offer real control in possession, but it does leave City susceptible on the counter-attack – and so it proved.

Craig Pawson did not spot in real time that Dias had tripped Ramsey but the VAR intervention resulted in a penalty that Rashford scored. It is over 20 years now since City conceded this many goals at home in a Premier League season. But they have resolve.

It was Guardiola’s side who pushed hardest for the winner, James McAtee coming desperately close with a lob over Martinez that angled wide. Though Rashford rounded Stefan Ortega before hitting the side-netting, the pressure did build on Villa.

In the end, it was the introduction of Jeremy Doku as a substitute that proved key, finding space down the left and playing an inviting ball behind the back line that Nunes was on hand to finish. Nunes just being there, playing as a right-back, spoke volumes.

“You cannot imagine City and Guardiola not in the Champions League,” Gary Neville had said beforehand. On a night when it will have felt to many fans inside the stadium that this was on the line, their team had just enough to end Villa’s brilliant run of form.

What the players said…

Man City match-winner Matheus Nunes speaking to Sky Sports:

“The game was important. Very tough game against a tough opponent. We came with the mentality that we needed to win.

“Perfect timing! It couldn’t have come at a better time. We will see at the end of the season. It will be very important.”

Man City defender Ruben Dias speaking to Sky Sports:

“They are on the run to the top five with us. Special game to get three points. Four games to go and all of them will be massively important. We keep on going.

“We know how tight it is and how tight it will be until the end. I can’t quantify how important today was.

“This means everything to us. We know exactly what circumstances we are in, top four or five means everything. This is our main trophy. We have the FA Cup and Club World Cup but this is everything to us.”

Aston Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans speaking to Sky Sports:

“Frustrating to lose in the last minute. We fought really hard. We blocked pretty much everything. To lose like that, it is frustrating. We get the first chance and they get the last. They score and we don’t. That is football. Really frustrating.

“We have four games left. We will give our all and hopefully be back where we want to be, in the Champions League positions.”

What the managers said…

Man City head coach Pep Guardiola speaking to Sky Sports:

“We are not used to it! The last minute win belongs to Liverpool. We are not used to it so I am really happy. We are in the last four games, we know Champions League contenders like Aston Villa, they are one of the top teams in Europe.

“We played very good. Aggressive in our duels and back four were unbelievable. Really pleased.

“Football is emotion. The last two games were so difficult so we are really pleased. I was so happy. I have to admit it! Try to not lose as 1-1 was not a bad result but the action from Jeremy was so good.

“The team fought a lot. The performance was really good. It is a fantastic team.

“The season has been bad. It doesn’t matter about the final or if we finish in Champions League. What makes you feel good is the Premier League. It happened and sometimes you have bad seasons. Liverpool will be champions and the level of teams is outstanding.”

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery speaking to Sky Sports:

“We cannot waste time. We competed well and close to drawing. We tried to win with the substitutes. They did the same and they scored.

“We played a competitive match and had our chances. We had to accept it.

“It is a moment to be positive. I will analyse the match. We are trying to focus on the match for Saturday [FA Cup semi-final].

“We are playing at this level and want to try and compete. We try to be demanding to build a strong structure. Today we played and competed but I am so happy. I cannot waste time.”

Story of the match in stats

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