In a dazzling display, Phil Foden netted a remarkable hat-trick as Manchester City surged to a commanding 4-1 victory over Aston Villa, intensifying the competition in the Premier League title race.
With Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne being left on the bench, Pep Guardiola entrusted Foden with the spotlight following his spirited defense of the star striker against Roy Keane’s criticism. Foden seized the opportunity with an exceptional performance, marking his second hat-trick of the season.
After Jhon Duran nullified Rodri’s early opener, the 23-year-old swiftly restored City’s lead with a late first-half free-kick, followed by two sublime strikes just after the hour mark, elevating Foden’s tally to 21 goals for the season.
Guardiola’s squad maintains their third position, trailing leaders Arsenal by a single point and standing level with Liverpool, who are set to face Sheffield United on Thursday. Notably, this victory marks City’s first triumph over a top-five opponent this season, showcasing a significant improvement in their performance following Arsenal’s disruption of their 57-game unbeaten home streak.
The decision to bench De Bruyne and Haaland was strategic, with a crucial Champions League clash against Real Madrid on the horizon. Both players have struggled to regain their top form since returning from injury in recent weeks.
With Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku deployed on the wings, Foden’s shift to the center proved pivotal as he orchestrated City’s commanding victory.
Villa, already without the injured Ollie Watkins, faced further setbacks as goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was sidelined due to illness just before kickoff, replaced by stand-in Robin Olsen, who soon found himself retrieving the ball from his net.
Foden orchestrated a swift attack, feeding Doku on the right flank, whose cutback found Rodri to clinically slot home his eighth goal of the season after just 11 minutes.
City’s lead was short-lived as Villa swiftly countered. Julian Alvarez lost possession near the Villa box, initiating a rapid break that saw Duran exchanging passes with Morgan Rogers before clinically finishing past Stefan Ortega into the far corner.
As tensions rose, Grealish, facing constant jeers from his former supporters in the Villa stands, was booked for dissent after a free-kick decision favored Douglas Luiz. Olsen then showcased his prowess with a crucial save to deny Alvarez.
Luiz flirted with danger late in the first half, having already been cautioned for fouling Grealish on the edge of the box, he committed a similar foul on Foden just before halftime, but escaped further punishment from referee Darren England.
Despite Villa’s resilience, Foden exploited a gap in the defensive wall left by Nicolo Zaniolo to beat Olsen and restore City’s lead just before the break.
Alvarez threatened twice more before halftime, with Olsen tipping a close-range header over the bar. The Villa goalkeeper remained busy at the start of the second half, denying Bernardo Silva after a precise pass from Foden left him one-on-one.
Villa sought opportunities on the counter, with Luiz driving forward and forcing a save from Ortega, who then denied Lenglet from the resulting corner.
However, Foden effectively sealed the match in the 62nd minute, receiving a pass from Rodri and clinically finishing past Olsen with a first-time shot into the bottom right corner.
Despite Lewis’s close attempt, City secured the decisive fourth goal in the 69th minute. Foden initially lost possession on the edge of the Villa area, but a misjudged clearance from Chambers fell straight to him, allowing him to lash a shot into the top right corner.
