[Source: Premier League]

Manchester City moved to the top of the English Premier League standing for the first time this season after beating Aston Villa 2-nil.

The hard-earned victory came after late goals from Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan that ended Aston Villa’s resistance.

Villa’s first team, playing their first game since New Year’s Day because of a coronavirus outbreak at the club, showed no after-effects of their 19-day hiatus and produced a dogged defensive display.

They held out until the 79th minute, when Rodri controversially stole the ball off Tyrone Mings and fed Bernardo, who brilliantly fired into the top corner from the edge of the box.

Rodri was offside before he returned to an onside position to challenge Mings and Villa manager Dean Smith was sent off for his protests.

It meant he was not there to see Gundogan make sure of the points from the spot soon afterwards after Matty Cash handled a Gabriel Jesus header, in what was a far more straightforward decision for referee Jon Moss.

If Manchester United beats Fulham today then they will go top of the standing.

[Source: BBC]