Manchester City back up to second with last-gasp win over Aston Villa

Manchester City moved up to second in the Premier League table after a laboured 3-2 home win over FA Cup finalists Aston Villa.

The champions were given a huge gift in the third minute as Brad Guzan mishit a clearance straight to Sergio Aguero, allowing the Argentine to tap the ball into an empty net.

Despite an excellent start, City fell flat and struggled to create chances, although Aston Villa right-back Leandro Bacuna almost gifted Aguero another with a terrible backpass.

After a tame start to the second-half Aleksander Kolarov looked to have won it with a low free-kick which found a gap in the Aston Villa wall, only for Tom Cleverley to pull one back a minute later with a half-volley from the edge of the area.

Aston Villa seemed to have won a precious point in their fight against relegation with five minutes remaining when Carlos Sanchez calmly placed a volley into the net after Joe Hart's weak punch but there were still to be a couple more twists in the tail.

First, Christian Benteke was played through on goal only to be incorrectly called back for offside before Fernandinho’s late volley from a corner gave Manchester CIty the win.

3’ – GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Aston Villa (Aguero) It's a truly awful error from Brad Guzan as he scuffs a clearance straight to Sergio Aguero, allowing the Argentinean to tap the ball into an empty net. That is not the start Villa needed.

21’ – CHANCE: Aston Villa close to complete self-destruction. Bacuna plays a terrible backpass straight to Aguero but, as he looks to cut inside, Okore and Vlaar get back in time to block the shot.

26’ – CHANCE: Huge chance for Aston Villa! Benteke is suddenly one-on-one with Joe Hart but sends his low shot into the keeper's body. He was well offside but Zabaleta had the final touch before it went through, so that counts as a very bad miss.

66’ – GOAL! Manchester City 2-0 Aston Villa (Kolarov) From 30 yards out the Serbian finds a gap in the Aston Villa wall and it's in the back of the net. Terrible defending from Kieran Richardson, who should have blocked it.

68’ – GOAL! Manchester City 2-1 Aston Villa. (Cleverley) The visitors are immediately back in the game as Tom Cleverley drills a half-volley into the net from the edge of the area after Benteke's knockdown. It looked like the Belgian was marginally offside but the goal stands.

85’ – GOAL! Manchester City 2-2 Aston Villa. (Sanchez) Sanchez levels it up with a controlled volley into the net as Hart can only parry the corner back into the heart of the penalty area. Manchester City are paying for their slackness.

87’ – OFFSIDE: It's end-to-end now! First Manchester City appeal for a penalty as Navas' shot hits Delph and then Aston Villa break away as N'Zogbia plays Benteke in on goal only for the Belgian to be called back for offside. He wasn't.

88’ - GOAL! Manchester CIty 3-2 Aston Villa. (Fernandinho) It's the thrilling end to the game as Fernandinho controls a corner from the left on his chest and hits a shot down into the ground and beyond Guzan. Terrible defending from Aston Villa!

Manchester City have won more Premier League games (21) and scored more goals (68) versus Aston Villa than against any other team.

Aston Villa have now scored 14 goals in nine game under Tim Sherwood after 12 in 25 games league games under Paul Lambert.

Could Aston Villa repeat Wigan’s feat of winning the FA Cup and being relegated in the same season? They will still fancy their chances of staying up, if not beating Arsenal in the FA Cup Final, but sitting just two points above the relegation zone they cannot afford a run of poor results now.

Jack Grealish (Aston Villa): The youngster impressed again in an often listless game, showing great composure on the ball and excellent awareness in his passing.

MANCHESTER CITY: Hart 6, Zabaleta 7, Demichelis 7, Mangala 6, Kolarov 7, Fernando 6, Lampard 5, Navas 6, Yaya Toure 5, Silva 6, Aguero 6. Subs: Fernandinho 7, Bony N/A.

ASTON VILLA: Guzan 4, Bacuna 6, Okore 7, Vlaar 7, Richardson 6, Sanchez 7, Westwood 6, Cleverley 7, Delph 7, Grealish 8, Benteke 7. Subs: N'Zogbia 6, Lowton N/A.