The points are virtually in the bag for City now, with only three minutes of stoppage time remaining before the final whistle blows.
89'
De Bruyne's corner from the left is just taken off Akanji's head by a Villa clearance, and the ball rolls out for a throw-in near the right byline.
87'
A series of City fouls in midfield breaks up play, as Villa try to raise the tempo again. Theirs is surely a lost cause, but there has been a significant improvement since their second set of substitutions.
85'
N. Aké enters the game and replaces R. Mahrez.
Following his awful miss just moments ago, Mahrez is brought off by Guardiola; Ake comes on for the closing stages.
82'
After Ederson is once more forced into action, to cut out a dangerous low cross along the six-yard box, Coutinho then drives to the left byline but can't quite pick out a cross.
78'
On a rare break, Villa sub Duran finds space down the right before sending over a cross to Watkins on the edge of the box, but Rodri intervenes with a well-timed header to clear the danger.
76'
Philippe Coutinho enters the game and replaces A. Young.
M. Cash enters the game and replaces J. Ramsey.
Villa play their final cards, as Emery sends on two more substitutes. First, Ramsey makes way for Cash.
Coutinho - who scored at the Etihad last season - is also thrown on; Young comes off.
74'
Though two more goals would steal an improbable point for Villa, all 10 black shirts are camped inside their own half. They simply can't get out, even if City are not particularly posing a threat.
72'
Taking a pop from more than 25 yards out, Gundogan sees his shot drift too close to Martinez, who makes a simple stop in the centre of the goal.
Minute
Description
71'
It's back to a keep-ball session for City now, as they aim to see out the game without any further concern and secure a much-needed three points.
69'
P. Foden enters the game and replaces J. Grealish.
An eventful outing for Grealish against his former club concludes early. Returning from a spell on the sidelines, Foden is his replacement.
63'
E. Konsa gets yellow.
A desperate attempt to win the ball back when caught out of position sees Konsa booked for a foul on Alvarez.
61'
O. Watkins has scored a goal for Aston Villa! Assist by Douglas Luiz.
Douglas Luiz played the ball into the path of Watkins, but this was all about the clinical finish from the Villa striker.
VILLA STRIKE BACK! When Silva loses the ball on the halfway line, Watkins seizes on the opportunity; beating Akanji to it with a burst of speed. He then strides on and plants the ball into the bottom-left corner! It's now 3-1 to Man City, who must be careful not to squander their lead here!
60'
J. Durán enters the game and replaces L. Digne.
Álex Moreno enters the game and replaces L. Bailey.
J. McGinn enters the game and replaces E. Buendía.
A frustrating shift for Buendia comes to its end, as Villa make a triple change; McGinn comes on in his place.
Digne is replaced by young striker Duran, who arrived at Villa Park just last month.
Moreno is the third man introduced by Emery; Bailey is brought off.
58'
It seems that Emery has seen enough of this tepid performance from his Villa team: as many as three substitutes are readying themselves for action.
With the ball pulled behind him from an Alvarez cross, Rodri can't clearly connect with the ball and his shot is comfortably dealt with by a diving Martinez.
56'
Perhaps caught in two minds when picking up the ball on the left side of the area - with plenty of space to attack - Grealish decides to chip a ball over to the back post rather than shoot from a tight angle. His attempt drifts over everyone in the box, though.
54'
The hosts manage to play themselves out of a tight corner deep inside their own half, but the subsequent counter-attack founders when De Bruyne overhits his cross from the right - a rare misstep from the City playmaker today.
52'
City assume complete control of both the ball and the tempo, and are starting to perform a little more like the side crowned champions against Villa on the final day of last season. Perhaps off-field adversity has galvanised them?
46'
J. Álvarez enters the game and replaces E. Haaland.
M. Akanji enters the game and replaces Rúben Dias.
The hosts kick off, and we are back under way at the Etihad!
Having made his first start for several weeks, Dias is also withdrawn; Akanji comes on in his place.
Given their three-goal lead, City have opted for a couple of half-time changes. First, Haaland makes way for Alvarez up front.
45' +4
HALF-TIME: MANCHESTER CITY 3-0 ASTON VILLA
45' +2
A stunned Villa are struggling to respond: Buendia tries a throughball, but Chambers is caught offside. They will be desperate to hear the half-time whistle now.
45' +1
Penalty goal scored by R. Mahrez for Manchester City!
3-0 TO CITY! Staying cool under pressure, Mahrez steps up to the spot-kick and drives the ball into the top-left of the net, leaving penalty specialist Martinez grasping at thin air! The hosts extend their lead: is that game over already?
41'
Rúben Dias gets yellow.
For showing dissent towards the referee following a foul on De Bruyne, Dias is booked.
39'
İ. Gündoğan has scored a goal for Manchester City! Assist by E. Haaland.
Showing a great turn of pace, Haaland latches onto the ball following an error in the Villa defence, then - after failing to create a good angle for his own shot - his low cross picks out Gundogan in the centre.
CITY HAVE A SECOND! A slip by Chambers allows Haaland to race clear on the right side of the area, but despite beating Martinez to the ball, the big striker can't quite get a shot off. Instead, he makes for the byline and drives over a low cross for Gundogan, who then slams the ball home from close range! That's 2-0 to the champions!
38'
Following De Bruyne's cross from a right-sided free-kick, Rodri can only steer his header from near the penalty spot well wide of the left-hand post.
37'
L. Digne gets yellow.
Beaten for pace by Mahrez, a flat-footed Digne upends his opponent just outside Villa's box and is shown the game's first yellow card.
34'
After temporarily leaving the pitch, Bailey gingerly jogs back on to join Watkins up front for the visitors, and the action resumes.
33'
A loud chorus of jeers echo around the Etihad, as after Dias makes a crunching challenge on Bailey outside the City box, the Jamaican winger remains floored and the hosts' counter-attack is halted for him to receive treatment.
31'
After De Bruyne surges to the right byline - not for the first titme today - his dangerous low cross requires Konsa to clear the ball from danger just in front of his own goal.
27'
Silva tries to strike at goal from the left edge of Villa's area, but his team-mate Dias ends up blocking the attempt with his arm, conceding a free-kick.
26'
Former Manchester City player Luiz is penalised for a clumsy grab on Gundogan in midfield, and the hosts have a free-kick around 35 yards out from goal.
24'
Bailey has a shot blocked behind for a corner on the left, but Buendia's attempt to connect with the subsequent set-piece is halted when Digne climbs all over De Bruyne. That's a free-kick for City.
18'
De Bruyne's late run just fails to meet an angled pass from Mahrez on the right side of the area, and the ball runs out of play for a Villa goal-kick.
16'
Now back to his feet, Martinez is passed fit to continue and the game resumes.
15'
Having taken a clattering from Haaland on the edge of his area, Martinez requires medical attention, and the action is temporarily paused while the Villa keeper is tended to.
13'
A lofted ball towards Haaland, waiting on the edge of the area, bounces awkwardly and allows Martinez to rush out and get a glove on the ball. The City striker then collides with his opponent and concedes a free-kick, so when Gundogan then rolls the ball into the net, no goal is given.
8'
After going behind, Villa are decidedly on the back foot now. A forest of black shirts stand between City and the visitors' box, as the home side push on in search of another goal.
4'
Rodri has scored a goal for Manchester City! Assist by R. Mahrez.
From the left, Mahrez sends over an outswinging cross from Man City's first corner of the match, picking out Rodri in the box.
CITY STRIKE! The champions take the lead! From their first corner of the game, Mahrez sends over an outswinging cross to the near post, where Rodri's run beats Kamara to the ball, and the Spanish midfielder plants a powerful header into the bottom-left corner! Martinez almost kept it from crossing the line, but his luck is out: that's 1-0 to City!
3'
Grealish drops his shoulder and earns half a yard of space on the left side of Villa'a box, but his subsequent cross strays too close to Martinez, who plucks the ball out of the air without any trouble.
1'
Villa kick off, and we are under way in Manchester!
After Watkins is released down the left flank and jinks past a flat-footed Walker, he lays the ball off for Bailey, whose mishit shot is heavily deflected behind for an early Aston Villa corner.
After a turbulent week off the pitch, Manchester City now aim to put pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal by posting a victory over Villa: City occupy third place in the table, six points behind the Gunners. Though they lost at Tottenham last weekend, the champions have won each of their last 12 top-flight home games against today's visitors - most memorably coming from two down to win 3-2 and secure the title on the final day of last season. Pep Guardiola's men also boast a formidable home record, with nine wins, one draw, and just one loss in the league this term.
Following September's 1-1 draw in Birmingham, Aston Villa are seeking to avoid defeat in both league meetings with Man City for the first season since 2000-01. Both teams have won three, drawn one and lost two of their last six top-flight fixtures, but Villa were beaten 4-2 by Leicester City at Villa Park last time out. Nevertheless, they arrive in Manchester on a three-game winning run in Premier League away matches, amid a bright start to life under Unai Emery.
MANCHESTER CITY (3-2-4-1): Ederson; Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte; Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan; Riyad Mahrez, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Jack Grealish; Erling Haaland.
SUBS: Stefan Ortega, Julian Alvarez, Rico Lewis, Nathan Ake, Kalvin Phillips, Phil Foden, Manuel Akanji, Cole Palmer, Sergio Gomez.
ASTON VILLA (4-2-3-1): Emiliano Martinez; Ashley Young, Calum Chambers, Ezri Konsa, Lucas Digne; Boubacar Kamara, Douglas Luiz; Leon Bailey, Jacob Ramsey, Emiliano Buendia; Ollie Watkins.
SUBS: Viljami Sinisalo, Oliwier Zych, Alex Moreno, John McGinn, Leander Dendoncker, Matty Cash, Sil Swinkels, Philippe Coutinho.
The players are all out on the pitch at the Etihad, with kick-off now just moments away!
Hello and welcome to live coverage of today's Premier League clash between Manchester City and Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium!
City have now scored 14 times during the last 15 minutes of the first half this season - more than any other Premier League side. Boasting a record of W9, D1, L0 when leading at half-time in the top flight this term, they can be confident of cruising to three points after the interval.
That's all from Manchester today, so thank you for joining us and goodbye!
While Guardiola must now prepare his men for a crucial contest in the capital, where the league leaders await them, 11th-placed Villa's next fixture is also against Arsenal - in their case, six days from now.
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