Villa ruin Guardiola’s send-off with comeback win | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola’s final match as Manchester City manager ended in disappointment as Aston Villa came from behind to claim a 2-1 victory at the Etihad, with Ollie Watkins scoring twice to spoil the farewell.

After a decade in charge that delivered 20 trophies, Guardiola’s last game began in positive fashion for City. Antoine Semenyo opened the scoring midway through the first half, reacting well at the back post to volley home after a flick-on from a corner, marking another impressive moment in his standout season.

City looked in control for long spells early on, with Savinho and Phil Foden both going close to extending the lead. However, Villa grew into the game and changed the momentum after the break.

Ollie Watkins levelled immediately after half-time, punishing a defensive lapse as he pounced on a loose ball from a set-piece. From there, Unai Emery’s side took full advantage of City’s uncertainty, and Watkins struck again on the hour mark, racing through on goal before calmly finishing past James Trafford. VAR checked the goal for offside but ultimately awarded it.

City pushed for a response late on, and Phil Foden briefly thought he had rescued a draw with a powerful finish, only for VAR to rule it out for offside.

The defeat capped an emotional evening, with Guardiola and departing captain Bernardo Silva both receiving heartfelt farewells as Villa secured a statement win to finish their season in style.

Incidents: The story of the match

Manchester City Official Line-ups:

James Trafford, Rico Lewis, Nathan Aké, Rúben Dias, John Stones, Bernardo Silva, Nico González, Tijjani Reijnders, Antoine Semenyo, Phil Foden, Savinho

Aston Villa Official Line-ups:

Marco Bizot, Andrés García, Victor Lindelöf, Tyrone Mings, Lamare Bogarde, Ian Maatsen, Douglas Luiz, Ross Barkley, Emiliano Buendía, Ollie Watkins, Leon Bailey

1':

The match begins

23':

GOAL Manchester City: Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City) scores!

Antoine Semenyo scores goal number 17 in the competition (37 matches)

Ollie Watkins scores, making it 1-1.

47':

GOAL Aston Villa: Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) scores!

Ollie Watkins scores goal number 15 in the competition (37 matches)

Ollie Watkins scores to make it 1-2, assisted by Ross Barkley.

61':

GOAL Aston Villa: Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) scores!

Ollie Watkins scores goal number 16 in the competition (37 matches)

998':

The referee whistles for the end of the match