Manchester City recovered from conceding a very early goal to win 2-1 at Aston Villa Wednesday and move a step closer to the Premier League title after a game in which both sides finished with 10 men.
City, who are 11 points ahead of Manchester United with five games left, were caught napping early when Villa took a quick free kick.
A pass from Ollie Watkins found John McGinn and he rifled the ball home with 20 seconds on the clock.
City equalized in the 22nd minute after a slick passing move that Phil Foden finished from the middle of the penalty area, and Rodri gave them the lead with a glancing header in the 40th minute.
The sending-off of City defender John Stones for a dangerous challenge on Jacob Ramsey before the break was cancelled out when Villa's Matty Cash picked up two yellow cards in quick succession, and City controlled the rest of the game to close out the win.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed some respite in a tumultuous week for the club as Son Heung-min's late penalty earned them a 2-1 victory over Southampton to revive their hopes of a top-four finish in the Premier League.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has criticised the closed format of the proposed breakaway European Super League despite his club signing up to the proposal, saying it is not sport if success is guaranteed
Posted by Sports Tribune on Tuesday, 20 April 2021
After Jose Mourinho's sacking Monday and Tottenham's ignominious part in the Super League drama which has rocked football, it was left to 29-year old caretaker manager Ryan Mason to try to steady the ship.
It looked as though the former Spurs midfielder, handed the reins until the end of the season, would suffer defeat when Danny Ings gave Southampton a deserved halftime lead.
But Gareth Bale, who Mason restored to the starting line-up for the first time since mid-March, curled home an equalizer on the hour as Tottenham improved after a dismal first half.
Son had a goal ruled out for offside but the South Korean gave Tottenham much-needed cheer when he beat Alex McCarthy from the penalty spot.
Victory lifted Tottenham into sixth place with 53 points, two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea who have a game in hand.
Results
Villa 1 (McGinn 1) Man City 2 (Foden 22, Rodri 40)
Tottenham 2 (Bale 60, Son 90-P) Southampton 1 (Ings 30)