**_LONDON_**: Premier champions Manchester City, beaten 2-1 at Aston Villa, slipped to a ninth defeat in 12 matches in all competitions. Goals either side of halftime by Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers put Villa in control with Phil Foden’s stoppage-time reply only a consolation for City.
One victory in their last 12 games has seen City exit the League Cup, flirt with elimination from the Champions League and has all but ended any hopes of a fifth successive English title.
A sixth league defeat of the season left City in sixth position on 27 points from 17 games, with Villa jumping above them into fifth spot with 28 points.
Villa took the lead in the 16th minute as Youri Tielemans threaded a pass to Rogers who cleverly fed Colombia striker Duran to score his 12th goal of the season.
Former City graduate Rogers made it 2-0 in the 65th minute and City never looked like getting anything although Foden’s first league goal of the season at least offered a little cheer.
“If there is a moment that I cannot overthink it is right now,” Guardiola said. “I try to be simple, stick to my principles and give certainty to the team. We don’t have a defence, the results are not good.”
Arsenal have also dropped too many points of late but responded with a clinical 5-1 victory at Crystal Palace with Gabriel Jesus following up his midweek League Cup hat-trick against the same opponents with two more goals.
Mikel Arteta’s side are third with 33 points from 17 games — three behind leaders Liverpool who have two games in hand and visit mid-table Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Second-placed Chelsea can top the standings, briefly at least, on Sunday if they win at Everton.
Nottingham Forest fans will be pinching themselves as Christmas approaches after a 2-0 victory at Brentford, who were unbeaten at home, put them fourth with 31 points.
A hat-trick by Alexander Isak helped Newcastle United to a 4-0 victory at struggling Ipswich Town to lift Eddie Howe’s side into seventh in the standings with 26 points.
Brighton are ninth with 25 points after a 1-1 draw in a lacklustre game at West Ham United.
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