Manchester City suffered their first league setback under Enzo Maresca

Manchester City suffered their first league setback under Enzo Maresca on Saturday, falling 2-1 to Aston Villa in Birmingham.

The hosts made an immediate impact, with Nicolas Jackson opening the scoring in the sixth minute after capitalising on a defensive mistake by Marc Guéhi. City dominated possession but struggled to turn their territorial advantage into clear-cut opportunities against Unai Emery’s organised side.

Erling Haaland restored parity in the 53rd minute, heading home his ninth Premier League goal in eight appearances. However, Villa responded swiftly, as Jackson completed his brace seven minutes later, benefiting from an uncertain intervention by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

City pushed hard for another equaliser but could not break through Villa’s determined defence.

The defeat halts Maresca’s perfect league start and gives Arsenal an opportunity to strengthen their position at the top of the table, intensifying the early-season title race.