Aston Villa 2-1 Man City: Gianluigi Donnarumma and Marc Guehi under spotlight
Manchester City's perfect Premier League start ended with a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa, highlighting defensive vulnerabilities in the squad. While City struggles with defensive errors, title rivals Arsenal have moved level on points following a strong defensive performance.
Why it matters
The result significantly impacts the early-season Premier League title race and puts pressure on Manchester City's management to address defensive consistency.
Figure caption, Nicolas Jackson scores twice as Aston Villa end Manchester City's winning start to the season
Manchester City reporter at Villa Park Published 24 October 2026 Manchester City 's 100% winning start to the Premier League season came to an abrupt end against Aston Villa - leaving Enzo Maresca with glaring defensive issues to resolve.
Nicolas Jackson's double in a 2-1 home win for Villa means City have now managed only one clean sheet in their past six games and the form of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and defender Marc Guehi is of concern.
Since the start of last season, only eight players have made more errors leading to Premier League goals than Donnarumma and Guehi with three each.
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