Aston Villa vs Manchester City. Premier League.
Villa ParkAttendance36,757.
Wednesday 11 November 2015 18:16, UK
Remi Garde saw his new Aston Villa side end a losing run by holding Premier League leaders Manchester City to a goalless draw at Villa Park on Sunday.
The visitors will feel they did enough to win the game, with Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling both missing gilt-edged chances in the second half before Fernando rattled the bar with a header in stoppage-time.
Manuel Pellegrini's side - who stay above Arsenal on goal difference - also believed they should have had a penalty in the first half when Sterling went down after contact from Ciaran Clark, only for referee Craig Pawson to allow play to continue.
But Garde - who watched defeat to Tottenham last time out from the stands - will be encouraged by a point that stops the rot after eight successive league defeats, although Villa remain bottom.
The hosts started brightly and Jordan Amavi was heavily involved with a number of marauding runs from left-back, while Carles Gil drifted in from the right to decent effect.
However, despite enjoying the majority of the possession in the first 15 minutes, Villa were unable to create any chances of note.
At the other end, Aleksander Kolarov flashed a low ball across the box after a quick break from the visitors and as the half wore on, City began to gain the upper hand.
Kolarov again got in down the left and tested Brad Guzan with a cross-shot before Fernando fired over after the ball dropped kindly to him from the resulting corner.
Pellegrini introduced Jesus Navas midway through the half as Wilfried Bony limped off holding his hamstring, meaning De Bruyne was moved into a more advanced central position.
It was the Belgian's clever flick to set City on the attack that should have led to the opening goal.
Yaya Toure set Sterling away through the middle, but the former Liverpool man lacked confidence on his left foot and tumbled under Clark's attention after cutting in on his right instead, the referee waving away his claims for a penalty.
City upped the pace after the break and began to lay siege to the Villa goal. Kolarov whipped in a free-kick that Guzan failed to hold but the 'keeper was fortunate to see the ball fall to a claret-and-blue shirt and cleared to safety.
Moments later, Guzan came to his side's rescue when Navas floated in a perfect cross from the right to Sterling, who was waiting five yards out.
The winger met it with a header but Guzan flung himself towards the ball and it caught him in the face before going out for a corner. The American may not have known much about it, but it was a vital stop.
There was no let-up from City and Sterling saw another shot blocked from inside the area before De Bruyne miscued with the goal at his mercy.
Navas was again the provider, this time with a cut-back from the byline, but De Bruyne succeeded only in clipping the ball off his own foot and out for a goal kick.
The away side continued to press forwards but Villa's defence remained resolute and rebuffed their opponents time and again.
The hosts could have snatched a breakaway winner twice during the final 15 minutes, only for the final ball to be lacking, firstly from Idrissa Gueye and then Leandro Bacuna, as they countered with numbers.
The Villa faithful were roused again as Fabian Delph emerged from the bench for City, the former Villan's introduction met by a chorus of boos - and even some inflatable snakes.
It was City who ended the game going all out for the winner though and when Kelechi Iheanacho's cross was met by the head of Fernando, it looked as though they had found it.
The ball rebounded off the bar though and Fernandinho's subsequent shot from the edge of the box slid just past the post as Villa held on to ensure a positive start for the new boss.
Player ratings
Aston Villa: Guzan (7), Hutton (6), Clark (7), Richards (9), Amavi (7), Sanchez (8), Gueye (7), Gil (7), Veretout (6), Sinclair (5), Ayew (6).
Subs used: N'Zogbia (7), Bacuna (5), Gestede (5).
Manchester City: Hart (6), Sagna (6), Kompany (6), Otamendi (6), Kolarov (7), Fernando (7), Fernandinho (7), Toure (6), De Bruyne (7), Sterling (7), Bony (5).
Subs used: Navas (8), Delph (5), Iheanacho (6).
Man of the match: Micah Richards
