By TOM COLLOMOSSE
Published: 13:48 EST, 21 December 2024 | Updated: 13:48 EST, 21 December 2024
Unai Emery admitted Aston Villa preyed on Manchester City’s vulnerability after his team sent Pep Guardiola’s men deeper into crisis.
Goals in either half from Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers ensured a ninth defeat in 12 games for City, who have won only once in this dire sequence.
Villa had won only two of their last eight games in the league but in the second half they produced their best football of the campaign as City were blown away, with Phil Foden’s stoppage-time strike no consolation.
‘In the second half their confidence was going down and ours was increasing,’ said Emery. ‘It was fantastic how the players responded to everything we had worked on before.
‘We were defending too low in the first half and we had to get into a good position to try to stop them dominating the ball. We defended well all game but we played with more personality in the second half than we did in the first.
‘In the first 30 minutes Manchester City played fantastic. If they had scored in that period then maybe they would have recovered their confidence but the second half was completely different.
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery admitted his side preyed on Man City's vulnerability on Saturday
Emery's side secured a 2-1 win over the league champions - who's struggles continued
Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers ensured a ninth defeat in 12 games for Pep Guardiola's side
‘We dominated, we scored and through those circumstances they (City) were feeling worse than in the first half, and then there was the result as well.’