Manchester City will not be champions, but at least they look bound for the Uefa Champions League.
Their sudden slide had prompted thoughts they could tumble out of the top four. Back-to-back victories have lent a different perspective.
City have regained second spot, perhaps only temporarily, but with each of the three supposed pursuers, Liverpool, Tottenham and Southampton, drawing, they enjoy a nine-point cushion on the fifth-placed Anfield club.
Two more wins will in effect secure at least fourth place.
Their latest triumph was nervy, unconvincing and strangely eventful, but having coughed up a two-goal lead, City at least had the resolve to prosper in the end.
“It was one of our worst games in possession,” said manager Manuel Pellegrini. “We didn’t play well but with this spirit it is another game we didn’t lose.”
The result was attributable to Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan, who endured a dreadful evening, referee Mike Dean and Fernandinho, who hooked in the decider with aplomb.
It was a rarity in the match: the one goal in five for which the supposed shot-stopper was not culpable and, while Yaya Toure’s hamstring problem presented City with a worry, there was a short-term benefit as his replacement scored the pivotal goal.
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Guzan’s blunders may prove particularly costly. Shay Given has flourished in Aston Villa’s FA Cup run and the American was already under pressure for his place. He reacted in the worst possible way.
When Ron Vlaar passed the ball back, Guzan, who was not being closed down, contrived to scuff a clearance in such a way that Sergio Aguero was granted an open goal.
If there is a tendency to call such moments an aberration, it transpired Guzan was only getting started. When he flapped at David Silva’s free kick, Fernando could have doubled City’s lead. When Aleksandar Kolarov did, Guzan was at fault, along with Kieran Richardson and Leandro Bacuna, who parted to create a hole in the wall for the Serb’s free kick.
At that stage City, who had only excelled for the opening 15 minutes, seemed to be cruising to victory. Instead, the fragility in their ranks was illustrated as the FA Cup finalists drew level. After Hart came for, and missed, a free-kick from the impressive Jack Grealish, Tom Cleverley fired a shot through a crowded box for his first goal since 2013.
Then Hart, who had made a terrific first-half save from Christian Benteke, punched weakly at Charles N’Zogbia’s corner and Carlos Sanchez volleyed in a leveller.
Fernandinho’s finish showed that anything one South American midfielder could do, another could emulate.
Villa departed disappointed, feeling Hart had brought down Benteke, who was wrongly ruled offside, in the penalty box seconds before.
“I think it was a penalty and a red card for Joe Hart,” said Villa manager Tim Sherwood. “We outplayed them.”
Yet this is a time when points matter more than performances. City got the former, not the latter.
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