Maresca Backs Guéhi Despite Errors as Aston Villa Beat Man City 2026

Enzo Maresca has insisted he is not worried about Marc Guéhi's form despite the defender's costly errors in Manchester City's 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa, which ended their flawless start to the Premier League season.

Guéhi was at fault for Villa's opener when he failed to control the ball, allowing John McGinn to set up Nicolas Jackson for the first of his two goals. The defender was substituted at half-time after being booked on 32 minutes.

The defeat was City's first dropped points of the campaign and came after Guéhi's mistakes also contributed to Ipswich scoring twice against them last weekend. Maresca, however, remains fully supportive of his centre-back.

Maresca's Verdict on Guéhi's Mistakes

Speaking after the match, Maresca was quick to defend Guéhi, highlighting the defender's heavy workload as a mitigating factor. "No, I'm not worried about Marc at all," he said. "I know that he's played every minute since the season started with us, with the international team, so it's not easy."

The City manager also explained that the half-time substitution was partly tactical due to Guéhi's yellow card. "The change was also because he was on a yellow card and in the way we want to be aggressive, sometimes to have one yellow card can be dangerous," Maresca added.

Guéhi's error for the opener was a rare lapse in concentration, but it proved decisive in a match where City dominated possession and created the better chances.

Aston Villa's Clinical Display

Despite City's dominance, Aston Villa ran out winners thanks to Nicolas Jackson's double and a resilient defensive performance. Villa had only eight shots to City's 15 but scored with both of their shots on target.

Goalkeeper Zion Suzuki was instrumental in keeping City at bay, making a number of important saves in the second half. Villa's ability to take their chances proved the difference in a tightly contested encounter at Villa Park.

Jackson's first goal came from Guéhi's error, but his second was a well-taken effort that highlighted Villa's cutting edge in front of goal.

City's Dominance Without Reward

Maresca felt his side deserved more from the game, pointing to the number of chances they created. "I think we deserved more from the game, for the amount of chances that we created and for the chances that we conceded," he said.

City's 15 shots compared to Villa's eight underline their attacking intent, but a combination of wasteful finishing and Suzuki's heroics meant they left Villa Park empty-handed.

The result serves as a reminder that in the Premier League, dominance without conversion can be costly. City will need to rediscover their ruthless edge quickly if they are to maintain their title challenge.

What This Means for the Title Race

City's first defeat of the season blows the title race wide open, with the gap at the top now reduced. The result will give hope to their rivals and puts added emphasis on their upcoming fixtures.

For Villa, the win is a statement of intent and a significant confidence boost. Beating the champions-elect in such a manner will raise expectations at Villa Park.

Maresca's side must now regroup and respond, starting with their next match. The manager's faith in Guéhi will be tested, but his public backing suggests he expects a swift return to form. The background to this story is set out in Celebrity: latest articles.

Key Takeaways

• Marc Guéhi's error led to Aston Villa's opening goal in their 2-1 win over Manchester City.
• Guéhi was substituted at half-time after receiving a yellow card.
• Enzo Maresca insists he is not worried about Guéhi's form despite recent mistakes.
• Aston Villa were clinical, scoring with both of their shots on target.
• City had 15 shots to Villa's eight but failed to convert their dominance into points.

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