Aston Villa eased to a 2-1 win over Manchester City on Saturday in the Premier League, condemning the reigning Premier League champions to their ninth defeat in 12 games in all competitions.
Villa struck first in the Midlands through the in-form Jhon Duran, who put the home side ahead at the end of an impressive move. Man City failed to equalize before the half-time whistle after another underwhelming display.
Morgan Rogers doubled the home side's lead in the 65th minute before Phil Foden grabbed a late consolation as Man City stumbled to another Premier League defeat after last weekend's Manchester derby nightmare.
How the game played out
Aston Villa had two glorious chances to take the lead in the first minute after making a mistake Man City cold.
Duran almost capitalized on Josko Guardiol's mistake but saw his effort tipped over by Stefan Ortega, with the German goalkeeper then making a superb save to deny Pau Torres from the ensuing corner. The header near the defender's post came within an inch of crossing the line.
But Ortega was left helpless in the 17th minute as Villa eventually capitalized on their electric start. Youri Tielemans' sensational back-splitting pass allowed Morgan Rogers a free run at Ortega, with the forward unselfishly slotting past Duran for the game's first goal.
Man City continued to dominate possession despite falling behind but struggled to create many important scoring opportunities. Phil Foden provided their most promising moment of the first half, combining well with Rico Lewis before forcing Emiliano Martinez into a low save. Guardiol also came close to an equaliser, but couldn't keep his header at the near post.
Villa continued to make life extremely difficult for the Cityzens after the restart and gave them another warning sign on the hour mark. Some lovely one-touch passing gave Rogers an opportunity in the penalty area and he rattled his low post off the outside of Ortega's post.
But Man City refused to learn from their mistakes and soon found themselves with a mountain to climb. It was another fantastic break from Villa as Rogers charged 20 yards up the pitch from his own half, eventually playing a one-two with John McGinn before firing past Ortega to double Villa's lead.
Ollie Watkins could have added some gloss to the scoreline just three minutes after being introduced from the bench, but the striker fired at Ortega from inside the penalty area.
Villa were offered a brief stoppage-time scare after Foden got on the scoresheet, but Man City were unable to provide the hosts with any further problems in the dying embers as they suffered another heavy defeat.
Check out the player ratings for Aston Villa vs Man City here.
Man City's dismal run has been characterized by problems in both boxes. Pep Guardiola's side have failed to produce in the opposition's penalty area when presented with golden opportunities, but it is their lackluster defense that has proved most costly.
Absence of Ruben Dias It was always likely to be felt by Man City at Villa Park and it was evident after the home side's opener. A bright space in the center of defense was opened up by Tielemans' wonderful through ball, with Villa playing all over the Man City team in just three passes.
There were already warning signs. Another mistake from the outstanding Guardiol gave Duran a wonderful opportunity inside the first 20 seconds, with Ortega saving his defenders twice in the first minute.
Man City were just as porous after the half-time whistle. Weak in challenges and often beaten by runners, Guardiola's men were overwhelmed by a relentless Villa, with their deficiencies at the back once again proving their undoing.
Jack Grealish he would have expected the chorus of shots that came out with every touch as he returned to Villa Park, but the winger's role as a pantomime villain brought a fire to his belly.
The former Villa star equalized four first-half fouls alone and forced Matty Cash to pick up a yellow card, repeatedly finding space on the left flank and testing the Pole with his agility and quick feet. He provided Man City's brightest spark during an opening 45 minutes in which the away fans couldn't help but roar.
However, Grealish returned to the player who has failed in recent months after the break. Man City were unable to contain him as Villa moved more bodies in close proximity to the fleet-footed forward and he was wasteful on occasions in possession.
In the end, as it did for Man City, the game went from bad to worse for Grealish, who picked up a late yellow card for cutting down former team-mate McGinn as he vented his frustrations.
Duran started the season as a super-sub but has been offered more regular starts by Unai Emery in recent weeks. The Colombian delivered in style and scored for the fourth game in a row against Man City.
The finishing was typically composed and Duran produced a similarly clinical strike shortly after the half-time whistle to be denied by the offside flag. It's clear to see why Chelsea were so interested in the top striker before, whose price has now increased significantly.
But beyond Duran's finish, he produced a superb display from the versatile centre-forward. He held onto the ball expertly when Villa regained possession, drawing fouls and getting others into the game. His incredible work ethic will no doubt have pleased Emery during another eye-catching display that will trouble Ollie Watkins.
Tielemans took time to settle at Villa Park, but the midfielder has been integral to Emery's system this season. He has been a mainstay for the Villans in the Premier League and Champions Leagueproviding a balance of defensive toughness and offensive spark.
It was the latter that was on full display against Man City. The Belgian orchestrated Villa's direct counter-attacks, impressing with his short and long passes. An absolute peach faked the game's opening goal, with Tielemans picking out Rogers in style after a spot-kick.
There were many other moments in the main reel. He often collected the ball on the half-turn before releasing runners and continued to draw attention for his impressive distribution. Duran and Rogers may steal the headlines, but Tielemans' work made Villa's victory possible.