Nicolas Jackson’s brace hands Aston Villa 2-1 win over Manchester City

Aston Villa beat Manchester City 2-1 at Villa Park

On Saturday 24 October 2026, Aston Villa secured a 2‑1 victory over Manchester City at their home ground in Birmingham. The hosts took an early lead when Nicolas Jackson scored in the sixth minute after a pass from John McGinn. Manchester City levelled in the 52nd minute when Erling Haaland headed home a cross from Iliman Ndiaye. Eight minutes later, Jackson netted his second goal, assisted by Ibrahim Mbaye, to restore Villa’s advantage. The match ended with Villa holding on for the win, meaning Manchester City lost the only match of the season and their seven‑game winning run in the Premier League was halted.

Background

Manchester City entered the game with a perfect record in the league, having won all eight of their previous matches. Enzo Maresca’s side had been praised for their attacking play but had begun to show defensive frailties. The BBC highlighted that goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and defender Marc Guehi had each made three errors leading to goals since the start of the previous season, the highest number among Premier League players. Aston Villa, managed by Dean Smith, had struggled in the early part of the season but had been improving in recent weeks. Nicolas Jackson, the Senegalese striker, had been in good form, and his brace was the decisive factor in the match.

Why it matters

The defeat meant Manchester City dropped three points, leaving them with 21 points from eight games and still at the top of the table. However, the loss prevented them from extending their lead over rivals Arsenal, who could equalise on points if they win their match against Everton later that day. The result also highlighted defensive concerns for City. With only one clean sheet in their last six games, the club’s defensive record was called into question. The BBC noted that Donnarumma and Guehi’s error rates were the highest in the league, suggesting that the team would need to address these issues.

What happens next

The match concluded with no further immediate actions announced. Manchester City will look to regroup in their next fixture, while Aston Villa will aim to build on the confidence gained from the win. The Premier League table remains unchanged, with City still leading but now a single point ahead of Arsenal, who have a chance to close the gap.