Magnificent goals from Ruben Dias i Bernardo Silva were enough for Manchester City to record a key 2-1 win at Aston Villa u Premier League last night (December 1).
Pep Guardiola’s side dominated the game from the start, pushing Villa for much of the first 20 minutes. Despite the early dominance, Manchester City struggled to find the lead. However, that soon changed when Ruben Dias fired a superb left-footed shot past Emiliano Martinez in the 27th minute.
It was a stunning goal and none the less the Citizens deserved their dominance of the game. The visitors then doubled their advantage just before the break through Bernardo Silva. The Portuguese fired a volley after a fierce counter-attack that left Villa’s defense dangerously flat.
However, the hosts came back with a bang after the break and Ollie Watkins reduced the deficit to just one goal with a sweet volley past the post. Villa increased the pressure, but Manchester City withstood Villa’s late pressure. The 2-1 win kept them one point clear of Chelsea.
In that regard, a look at Manchester City’s player ratings from this match:
Ederson Morris – 7/10
Ederson produced a brilliant performance after a long time. The Brazilian had little or no chance to save Watkins’ shot but managed to make two good saves during the game. His save proved crucial for the Citizens in the second half to equalize a terrible effort from Carney Chukwuemeka.
João Cancelo – 7/10
Cancelo had a great performance tonight. Deployed at right-back for the match, he looked to be providing overlapping runs to Riyad Mahrez throughout the night. However, his impact on the game was unusually limited. Cancelo finished the game with a key pass and a shot on goal.
Ruben Dias – 8.5 / 10
Flawless in defence, as is often the case, Ruben Dias scored a wonder goal in the first half to give Manchester City a chance to make a significant improvement in the game. The centre-back dealt with almost everything Villa threw at his defense and helped his side win all three points.
Dias recorded an outing, drew a foul and completed 92% of his passes.
Nathan Ake – 7.5/10
Like his defensive partner, Nathan Ake, he had a solid game. He showed good reading of the game, making several key interceptions and recoveries throughout the game. Ake also gave up all his attempts to pass at night.
Alexander Zinchenko – 7/10
Often dropping into a left midfield role, Zanchenko was effective at times covering the defence. He was also involved in much of City’s build-up, combining well with Raheem Sterling on the left for much of the first half.
Zanchenko completed two correct long balls and succeeded with 95 percent accuracy. He also recorded one key pass, one shot on target and three interceptions.
Rhodri – 8/10
Rodriy enjoyed another exceptional performance at the heart of the City midfield. He was…