Manchester City 3-1 Aston Villa: Player ratings as Mahrez & Rodri excel
By Ivan Buss
Manchester City, after falling against Spurs last weekend, got back on track in the Premier League with a win against Aston Villa.
With Arsenal failing to win their second in a row, Manchester City had another opportunity to close the gap at the top of the Premier League table. They certainly managed that, claiming all 3 points against Aston Villa. Whatever the rumors and drama surrounding Manchester City, the players took care of business on the pitch with an impressive performance. Here’s what I made of the squad in today’s match:
Ederson – 7
Might as well have propped up a lawn chair in the first half and enjoyed a nice cup of tea. In the second half, it looked as if Manchester City got a bit sloppy, and apart from the goal, which was not his fault, he stepped up when needed. He sniffed out danger when City turned the ball over, had a nice save against a vintage Coutinho curler, and was a perfect 22/22 in his distribution.
Kyle Walker – 6.5
When it looked like he might’ve pulled up early in this game, he reassured the team and fans with a solid performance. He spread the ball well and had some diagonals to maintain the width in attack for the forward players. On the defensive end, not much to speak of.
Ruben Dias – 7
Finally, a return from the Portuguese defender for Manchester City. He was withdrawn at halftime, but not before a strong return to the team. He has been made to watch the last few games from the sidelines and City have been worse off for it. As he continues his recovery from injury, it is already clear the difference he makes in Manchester City’s back line. A crunching tackle against Leon Bailey in the first half demonstrated what they have been missing.
Aymeric Laporte – 6.5
Didn’t really do any wrong, and was incredibly accurate with his passing, 96% accuracy to be exact. Again, somebody who was sat in the match vs. Tottenham, but as the Champions League returns and fixtures start piling up again, his health will be a massive benefit to the team.