Manchester City 2 Aston Villa 0 - Match report

Mar 5 2009 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Post

MANCHESTER CITY 2 ASTON VILLA 0

Last night was not the first time the world’s richest club have forced Aston Villa into a state of panic and prompted them to make poor decisions.

The damaging defeat at Eastlands might have been the point that Martin O’Neill realised the true scale of the slump his team are caught up in.

However, Villa’s fall from grace, which has resulted in four defeats and two draws, was in fact set in motion by Manchester City months earlier.

Since being bankrolled by the Abu Dhabi group’s billions City have moved the goalposts, not just for Villa, but for all the Premier League’s wannabes.

Had Mark Hughes’ open chequebook not been distorting the market it is a fair bet Randy Lerner and O’Neill would have sanctioned the spending needed to strengthen Villa.

Blaming the recent claret and blue wobble solely on City would be as rich as their Arab owners.

However, there is no doubt that the Eastlands’ financial clout has not only distorted the transfer market but also disrupted Villa’s plans for the final months of the season.

It may be simplifying the situation massively but the ludicrous prices being quoted during the transfer window dissuaded O’Neill and Lerner from making the necessary reinforcements, in turn leaving Villa without the strength to compete on two fronts, let alone three.

It prompted the manager, whose side had already been ousted from the FA Cup, to disregard the UEFA Cup and, after following the Moscow debacle with a draw and a defeat, it remains to be seen how devastating a decision that proves to be.

Worryingly, the one basket in which all of Villa’s eggs are placed is in danger of cracking rather than protecting O’Neill’s shell-shocked team.

This defeat was all the more galling given that City’s big-money signings Robinho and Craig Bellamy were out injured.

While regular Eastlands observers suggested the first half was City’s best 45 minutes of the season, there was no escaping the fact that arguably it was Villa’s worse.

Granted, there was the occasion when O’Neill’s team were systematically dismantled by Chelsea during their 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge although on that occasion Villa had the excuse that they were outclassed by higher-quality opponents.

Against City, who despite their riches are not even the equals of Villa, any class divide was no defence.

Neither for that matter were the collective unit of Zat Knight, Curtis Davies, Carlos Cuellar and Luke Young who were almost as jumpy as their manager before the interval.

No, it was that City were quicker in the tackle, sharper with their movement and generally keener and more committed than a Villa team seemingly shell-shocked by their reversals of fortunes – and form.

That the home side took the lead midway through the first half was no surprise, the only shock was that their advantage had not come much sooner.

From the off, the pace of Shaun Wright-Phillips, harnessed with his desire for destruction, pricked holes in Villa’s defence.

The former Chelsea outcast should have scored himself when his umpteenth link up with Stephen Ireland allowed him to burst into the area and, but for the attention of Young, he would surely have found the net rather than wastefully prodding wide.

O’Neill’s claret and blue backline failed to heed that warning and when Wright-Phillips wriggled free in the area again it took James Milner, tracking back, to halt him, albeit illegally with a desperate challenge, which resulted in a penalty that Elano calmly converted.

Had it not been for Cuellar’s saving tackle on Caicedo or a Wright-Phillips cross-shot just missing the outstretched boot of Ireland by a whisker, City’s interval advantage would have been as great as their dominance deserved.

Villa away defeats happen as often as a blue moon these days, quite appropriate given Blue Moon is their hosts’ signature tune.

Credit to O’Neill’s team, however, they produced a stirring second-half performance after Davies made way for John Carew and commitment made way for confusion during a much-improved showing.

Ashley Young finally came to life to jink past his marker and fire an effort just off target with the winger then forcing Shay Given to beat away a fierce drive before Stiliyan Petrov’s follow-up was blocked.

Given also produced a stunning save to repel Gareth Barry’s volley from a Gabriel Agbonlahor cross, although Villa keeper Brad Friedel was just as busy during a compelling second period.

The American veteran scrambled Elano’s effort around the post and was on hand again late on to frustrate Ireland.

By then Wright-Phillips, who easily outshone Young and Milner in the battle of the England wing hopefuls, had deservedly capped his man-of-the-match contribution with the second goal.

Just as he had done all evening, Wright-Phillips was involved in a slick interchange of passes with Ireland before sidefooting a measured finish past Friedel.