Aston Villa 1-0 Manchester City: Player Ratings as Matty Cash Fires Emery’s Men to a Glorious Win! | OneFootball

At Villa Park, amidst the thrum of belief, Aston Villa reminded Manchester City that even the most imperious footballing machines can be jammed by heart, discipline, and a thunderbolt of Polish precision. Matty Cash’s left-footed strike – yes, you read that right, his left – stunned Pep Guardiola’s side and sent Unai Emery’s men soaring to a fourth straight Premier League win.

For Manchester City, it was a night of misplaced passes, misplaced confidence, and a missing striker in Erling Haaland, who looked like he’d accidentally left his shooting boots back in Manchester. For Villa, it was guts, structure, and a masterclass in defending narrow leads.

Let’s dive into the player ratings from a night where Emery’s tactical order met Guardiola’s restless tinkering – and won.

Aston Villa vs Man City Match Preview – Premier League 2025/26: Aston Villa 1-0 Manchester City: Player Ratings as Matty Cash Fires Emery’s Men to a Glorious Win!

Aston Villa Player Ratings

Emiliano Martinez – 7.5/10

Calm, commanding, and completely unbothered. The World Cup winner denied Haaland thrice – and showed why Villa’s backline trusts him like a brick wall with a personality. Commanded his box superbly and claimed crosses like they owed him rent.

Matty Cash – 9/10 (Man of the Match)

What a strike. What a story. The right-back channeled every ounce of frustration from years of being called “just defensively solid” into one glorious swing of his weaker foot. His goal was venomous and precise, and he backed it up with relentless running and crucial defensive interventions. Matty Cash didn’t just score – he cashed in on Manchester City’s carelessness.

Ezri Konsa – 8/10

Faultless. Barely gave Haaland a sniff and swept up like a vacuum cleaner in human form. His positioning was immaculate, his timing spot-on. Every time Manchester City tried to thread something through, Konsa was there to say, “Not tonight.”

Pau Torres – 7.5/10

Silky under pressure, brave with his passing. Torres has become Emery’s outlet from the back, fizzing balls between lines and stepping up with swagger. His clearance off Savinho’s volley was as vital as any goal. Smart, strong, stylish.

Lucas Digne – 6.5/10

Handled Savinho and Bobb with veteran composure. Whipped in a few teasing crosses, including the short corner routine that led to Cash’s goal. A quieter night offensively, but his discipline helped lock down Manchester City’s right flank.

Boubacar Kamara – 7.5/10

Did the dirty work like it was an art form. One yellow card, countless vital tackles, and an engine that refused to quit. Dropped between the centre-backs when needed and made Manchester City’s midfield look like they were playing in mud.

Amadou Onana – 8/10

Monstrous in midfield. Snapped into tackles, intercepted passing lanes, and even took a Foden rocket straight to the face without blinking. The man was a wall. If Onana ever decides to open a tackling school, Manchester City’s midfielders should apply.

John McGinn – 7/10

The heartbeat of Villa. Industrious, clever, and just a touch cheeky when winding up opponents. Could’ve had a goal if not for a deflection and did the unglamorous things that win matches. Subbed off after running himself into the ground.

Emiliano Buendia – 6.5/10

A frustrating end to what could’ve been another lively display. Assisted Cash’s goal with a clever training-ground pass before limping off injured. His absence could sting in the coming weeks.

Morgan Rogers – 7.5/10

Electric at times. His close control and direct running caused chaos for Manchester City’s midfield, especially in transition. Showed strength and intelligence beyond his years. He’s fast becoming one of Emery’s most trusted disruptors.

Ollie Watkins – 7.5/10

Didn’t score but worked like three men. His hold-up play frustrated Dias and Stones all evening, and his pressing forced Manchester City into errors. A selfless display that summed up Villa’s team spirit.

Substitutes

Jadon Sancho – 7/10

Looked sharp in spells, particularly when forcing Donnarumma into a double save. Still a work in progress but showed flickers of the quality that made him England’s next big thing – before he wasn’t.

Ross Barkley – 7.5/10

Added composure when Villa needed it most. His late block to deny Nico González was heroic. The veteran touch of calm amidst the storm.

Evann Guessand – 6/10

Helped relieve pressure late on with a few key outlets. Nothing fancy, just useful.

Donyell Malen – N/A

Diligent while seeing out the game.

Unai Emery – 8.5/10

Tactically immaculate. He set his team up to frustrate Manchester City and exploited their frailties with precision. His substitutions were proactive, his structure watertight. Emery’s Villa are no longer plucky underdogs – they’re bouncing back to be the real deal.

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Manchester City Player Ratings

Gianluigi Donnarumma – 6/10

Blameless for the goal, but almost gifted Sancho a rebound by palming the ball into danger. Solid reflexes but today made shaky decisions. Guardiola may want his keeper to think less and catch more.

Matheus Nunes – 5/10

Asked to play full-back again. Overrun by Villa’s transitions and left gaps that even a Sunday League winger could exploit.

Ruben Dias – 6/10

Battled manfully but was often chasing shadows. When Dias starts yelling at everyone else, it’s usually because things are falling apart – and they were.

John Stones – 5/10

Tried to play midfielder, defender, and conductor all at once. Ended up looking like a man juggling chainsaws. Not his finest evening.

Josko Gvardiol – 5.5/10

Solid enough going forward but lacked his usual aggression. Looked hesitant, particularly when Rogers and Cash overlapped.

Tijjani Reijnders – 5/10

One for the forgettable column. Lost midfield battles, misplaced passes, and gave away silly fouls. Needs to rediscover his rhythm quickly.

Phil Foden – 7/10

Manchester City’s best outfield player by some margin, though that’s not saying much. Tried to ignite attacks but was often outnumbered. His blocked shot summed up the night – nearly brilliant, ultimately futile.

Bernardo Silva – 5/10

Started lively, ended invisible. Couldn’t dictate tempo or find gaps between Villa’s lines. Subbed early as Pep searched for answers that never came.

Savinho – 4/10

Plenty of pace, little purpose. The kind of performance that makes highlight reels look like fiction. Two wayward shots, one bad tackle, and a yellow card to remember it by.

Oscar Bobb – 4/10

Worked hard, but when your main contribution is helping defend corners, something’s gone wrong. Subbed with mercy.

Erling Haaland – 6/10

A ghost haunting the penalty area. Three chances, three Martinez saves, and one offside heartbreak. When Haaland looks human, Manchester City usually look beaten – and that was the story here.

Substitutes

Jeremy Doku – 5/10

Ran in straight lines, achieved very little. Cash pocketed him with ease.

Nico González – 5.5/10

Energetic but rash. Ended up bloodied and bandaged – which, honestly, summed up Manchester City’s night.

Nico O’Reilly – 6/10

Didn’t disgrace himself but couldn’t change the tide. Looked more willing to run than most of his teammates.

Rayan Cherki – 5.5/10

Came on to “add creativity”, promptly disappeared into Villa’s defensive fog.

Omar Marmoush – N/A

Drifted offside to deny Haaland a late equaliser.

Pep Guardiola – 4.5/10

Overthought it again. Manchester City’s structure was loose, the rotations confused, and the pressing disjointed. Even his post-match stare looked tired. Big changes are needed before the Carabao Cup midweek.

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Man of the Match: Matty Cash (Aston Villa)

For the goal, the graft, and the grin. Cash’s strike was the difference – and his performance embodied Villa’s new steel under Emery.

Aston Villa’s 1-0-win lifts them into the European mix, level on points with Liverpool and oozing belief. Manchester City, meanwhile, stay six adrift of Arsenal, with Guardiola staring down his most uncomfortable question of the season: has his new system finally been figured out – or just momentarily disrupted by a team that refused to bow?