Aston Villa

Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to Sky: "We talked in the week about commitment, every player who came on or played in the XI gave that extra 1% to get the result. Not easy to go 1-0 down straight after the second half but the character gave us a lift and we had more chances to score

"Sometimes you have nothing to do for 45 minutes but my job is to keep the team in the game and use my strength. Leon [Bailey] scored a good goal and all the saves count.

"When we're in a bad run I'm the first one to take the blame. I normally try to save my team and obviously after Arsenal I was gutted. I'm happy to take some credit for the saves today."

Aston Villa

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa goalscorer Leon Bailey speaking to Sky Sports: "I woke up this morning and felt good about today, I knew today would be a good day for us. We stayed confident and believed in ourselves, the experienced players and the new players in the group really lifted the spirits and that's important going into a big game. Everybody was working for each other, it wasn't going our way in the first half but we just stuck in there.

"I couldn't tell you why I had a good feeling, maybe seeing how we were in training and everyone helping one another I was excited and I thought we would get something out of the game today.

"A lot of credit to [Steven] Gerrard because going into a big important game he didn't let anyone feel pressure and that was important for the team. Everyone understands we were in a tough situation but he just wanted us to bring the best version of ourselves on the pitch and we did that today."

Ready for a kind of useless but amusing stat?

Erling Haaland and his father Alf-Inge Haaland have both scored their most recent Premier League goals for Manchester City in a draw at Villa Park.

Alfie's came in a 2-2 in December 2000. You suspect Erling might score some more...

Chris Sutton
Former Blackburn striker on 606

That's the boost that Steven Gerrard needed. The Aston Villa fans haven't been happy at the start of the season but have they now turned a corner?

I just wonder though if that is an opportunity missed for Manchester City. They have been brilliant at the start of this season, but probably two points dropped for City.

Michael Brown
Former Manchester City midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

Just as Manchester City were looking to take control in the second half and really putting that pressure on with chance after chance, you felt if Aston Villa had something to go at and were given an opportunity they could take it.

Steven Gerrard made a couple of changes in attacking areas, but it was actually Leon Bailey, who wasn't really in the game, who was given the opportunity and he only needed one chance.

He swept the ball into the top corner and the place erupted.

Manchester City had chances to kill the game off but you have got to give credit to Aston Villa because they held on. They hadn't started the season well, the manager was under pressure and it was a great ending to the game.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at Villa Park

Any questions about Aston Villa's desire have been answered - and in style as they fight back against the champions to earn a draw that takes Villa out of the bottom three.

City will be left rueing an inability to score a second goal, with goalscorer Erling Haaland twice having efforts saved by Emiliano Martinez and Kevin de Bruyne hitting the bar with a free-kick before Leon Bailey scored a 74th-minute equaliser.

Manchester City miss a chance to go top of the league and Villa are leaving the pitch the happier. This could well be the result they need to kickstart their season.

Manchester City are undefeated in their last 18 games in the Premier League, their longest run since 19 games from November 2020 to March 2021.

That Philippe Coutinho disallowed goal decision...

It was very odd how the referee blew the whistle first - when we see so many chances that are miles offside but they let the move play out first.

It's all over!

Manchester City miss the chance to go top... and Aston Villa move out of the relegation zone.

Michael Brown
Former Manchester City midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

The supporters are willing the team not to get beat against the champions. It would be a huge result after a poor start to the season for Steven Gerrard and this Aston Villa team.

Villa on the attack as the clock ticks over.

Ollie Watkins blasts a low cross across the area and Ederson does well to stop the ball getting to Philippe Coutinho for a Villa chance.

Michael Brown
Former Manchester City midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

Phil Foden with a great touch - hits it really quickly - and produces a great save from the goalkeeper.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at Villa Park

Emiliano Martinez urges the Villa crowd to get louder - not too sure that's possible as the fans have been amazing this second half. Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden have missed late chances for Manchester City, can Villa hold on for an excellent point?

Villa bring off goalscorer Leon Bailey for Emiliano Buendia. Bailey gets a good ovation as you might expect.

Four minutes added on.

Joe Collett-Cramp: My understanding was that assistant referees are supposed to wait for an attacking phase of play to complete before putting the flag up if they weren't sure. Especially as he got it wrong.

JB: Have I missed something? Coutinho was given offside when he CLEARLY wasn't and there was no offside prior? WHAT!!

Thomas: Well that was blatantly onside. So many awful decisions today and all season already.

Stephen: Why was that offside & what happened to the rule to keep the flag down until that section of play is concluded?

Tom Thomas: Coutinho just scored a perfectly good goal there - isn't this what VAR and not flagging offsides was supposed to sort out? Villa have just been robbed!!!

Image source, Reuters

Ilkay Gundogan picks out Riyad Mahrez in space in the box and he drills wide of the far post. Turns out Gundogan was offside anyway.

A replay suggests Philippe Coutinho was actually onside when the pass came in for his disallowed goal.

But because the referee blew the whistle before he shot, it couldn't be checked by VAR.

More controversy to add to the pile today.

Rodri would be an unlikely City hero, but he almost is, as he fizzes a low drive from outside the box just wide.