Striker takes his tally for the season beyond 20 with second half goals.
Villa finally ended their Etihad Stadium hoodoo on a day where virtually nothing was at stake.
The only material significance of this 2-1 win, at a ground they had lost on their previous 15 Premier League visits, was about £3million in prize money for preserving a fourth place finish.
But this was also a great way for Unai Emery’s team to round-off a glorious season. Fears of embarrassment following excessive Europa League final celebrations proved misplaced.
Villa supporters were going to enjoy their day whatever happened but no-one will complain about the unexpected extra gloss to a wonderful week.
Certainly not Ollie Watkins, who took his tally for the season to 21 as the visitors staged a comeback to spoil a little of the party spirit on Pep Guardiola’s farewell.
On a day when all the attention centred on the departing City boss, Villa were respectful without being overly generous.
Emery presented his colleague with a pre-match gift, while visiting players took parts in guards of honour for Bernardo Silva and John Stones, both playing in their final matches for the home side.
But after a first half in which they were pedestrian, Villa raised the pace after the break and the home side, who had led through Antoine Semenyo’s goal, could not respond.
City thought they had snatched a point when Phil Foden fired home in the 90th minute, only for the effort to be chalked off by VAR for offside. It was an incredibly tight call and images shown in the stadium suggested he might have been on.
While the celebrations among supporters and possibly those players not heading to the World Cup will continue, for Emery and the club’s hierarchy the hard work does not stop.
Returning to the Champions League will provide just a little more financial wriggle room but this is yet another summer where Villa must be mindful of Uefa’s fair play regulations.
They cannot afford for things to become so fraught as they did 12 months ago, when the uncertainty of the window bled into the start of the season. Brilliant though this campaign has been, it is also fair to wonder just where Villa might have ended up had they enjoyed more production from their attacking recruits.
A deal for Jadon Sancho - a surprising absentee on Sunday along with Tammy Abraham - is unlikely to be pursued. Emery will also make a decision on whether to trigger the option to buy for Douglas Lulz.
Sunday may also have been a second farewell for Leon Bailey, another who has struggled to make an impact since being recalled early from a season-long loan at Roma.
The biggest question marks, meanwhile, surround two players who were not part of Sunday’s squad.
Emi Martinez, another unsurprising omission after playing in Wednesday’s final with a broken finger, spent last summer hoping for a move to Manchester United which never materialised.
While the wounds which threatened to open up between the goalkeeper and fanbase have been closed by his role in a season of success, Villa have an eye on the market should a reasonable offer arrive. James Trafford, who started for City, is among their top targets.
Then there is Morgan Rogers. In an ideal world, Villa would never think of selling a player of such quality.
But in the reality of a summer where at least one big sale will be required, the 23-year-old is their most-prized asset. At least, should Rogers depart, Istanbul was a fitting send-off.
The midfielder was the only player to have started in all 37 Premier League matches prior to Sunday and this was the first time he had not featured since January last year, when he missed a 2-1 win over Leicester through suspension.
Emery had initially planned for Villa to train on Friday but such were the scale of the post-Istanbul celebrations, an extra day off was granted with the manager not even selecting the squad, let alone the team, until Saturday afternoon.
The only surprise was City made one more change than Villa’s eight to their XI from the previous game.
Watkins, Lindelof and Emi Buendia were the only survivors from the team which faced Freiburg. Andres Garcia made his first league start since April last year.
The full-back was culpable for City’s opener, failing to clear a corner at the near post and instead diverting the ball into the path of Semenyo, who volleyed beyond Marco Bizot.
Villa ended the half without having registered a shot but within 90 seconds of the restart were level. Watkins initially missed Bailey’s corner but when the ball bounced back to him off John Stones, he thumped home.
The visitors were suddenly on top and should have been quickly ahead. Bailey went through but sliced his effort well off target.
In the end they had to wait until just past the hour mark before taking the lead. Home supporters were still applauding Silva moments after his substitution before Barkley played Watkins through and he rode a challenge from Stones before finishing past Trafford. The flag immediately went up but the striker was convinced he’d stayed onside and a VAR check confirmed he was right.
City substitute Rayan Cherki thumped wide as the home side looked for a response.
But it was Villa who should have scored again, Trafford keeping out Bailey’s powerful effort. The keeper also saved from John McGinn moments after the Villa skipper had come off the bench.
Foden then thought he’d saved a point when he crashed a shot off the bar but VAR decided otherwise.
Man City (4-2-3-1): Trafford, Lewis, Dias, Stones (Gvardiol 77), Ake (Ait-Nouri 77), Silva (Kovacic 58), Gonzalez, Semenyo (Cherki 58), Reijnders (Doku 77), Savinho, Foden Subs not used: Marmoush, Nunes, Alleyne, Bettinelli (gk).
Villa (4-2-3-1): Bizot, Garcia (Cash HT), Lindelof (Torres 73), Mings, Maatsen, Bogarde (Onana 73), Luiz (Tielemans 73), Bailey, Barkley (McGinn 86), Buendia, Watkins Subs not used: Digne, Hemmings, Burrowes, Wright (gk).
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