Manchester City snatched a dramatic 2-1 win against Aston Villa thanks to Matheus Nunes’ stoppage-time winner, keeping their Champions League hopes a big boost.

The match began at breakneck speed, with Marcus Rashford nearly giving Villa a shock lead inside the first 20 seconds, rattling the post with a low drive.

But it was City who struck first. In the 7th minute, after good work by Omar Marmoush down the right, Bernardo Silva pounced on a deflected cut-back and fired a shot that Emiliano Martinez failed to keep out, handing the hosts an early advantage.

Villa responded very quickly though. A VAR review on the 17-minute mark saw Ruben Dias penalised for tripping Jacob Ramsey in the box. Rashford stepped up against the boos of the Etihad crowd and coolly slotted the ball past Stefan Ortega to level the score.

The rest of the first half was lively, with both sides creating opportunities. Ortega denied Rashford from close range, while City’s control of possession forced Villa to sit deep.

City came out dominant in the second half, peppering the Villa box with corners and crosses. Kevin De Bruyne’s deliveries were a constant threat, though chances went begging for Josko Gvardiol and McAtee.

FULL-TIME | WE FIGHT TIL THE END!!! ????

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— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 22, 2025

Villa, meanwhile, offered little in attack, mustering only one off-target shot after the break.

Pep Guardiola introduced Jeremy Doku late on, and the Belgian winger made an immediate impact. Deep into stoppage time, Doku burst past Axel Disasi and delivered a low, outside-of-the-boot cross into the six-yard box.

Arriving at the back post was Nunes, who coolly tucked home the winner in the 94th minute to send the home fans into raptures.

With the win, Manchester City moved back into the top four, while Villa missed an opportunity to strengthen their own Champions League credentials. Both sides now turn their focus to the upcoming FA Cup semi-finals this weekend.