EPL: Villa hold City in Garde’s first game

Bottom club Aston Villa held leaders Manchester City to a goalless draw in Remi Garde’s first game as manager.
Displaying a new-found defensive solidity, the hosts restricted City well although Raheem Sterling should have scored with a close-range header.
Fernando saw a late header hit the bar for the visitors, while substitute Fabian Delph’s low shot rolled just wide.
Villa were less effective going forward and did not manage a shot on target.
However, they will welcome their first point since August against a free-scoring City side who were held to their second successive 0-0 draw away from home in the Premier League.
The result ends a disastrous run of seven straight league defeats for the Villans, while Manuel Pellegrini’s side could be replaced at the top of the league if Arsenal beat Tottenham in Sunday afternoon’s late kick-off, reports the BBC.
Manchester City had 13 shots on goal in total – 10 of which came in the second half – but far too often they appeared to lack a figurehead up front.
Wilfried Bony was substituted with a hamstring injury after 25 minutes, but rather than send on a like-for-like striking replacement in Kelechi Iheanacho they pushed Sterling and Kevin de Bruyne further forward and put Bony’s replacement Jesus Navas out wide.
They still created enough chances to win the game, but a combination of poor finishing, good goalkeeping and some new manager luck denied them.
Sterling will be disappointed not to score when clean through, but the England forward elected to cut inside on to his right foot and that allowed two defenders to get back and clear the danger.
The £49m signing also saw a point-blank header hit goalkeeper Brad Guzan on the forehead and deflect wide, while De Bruyne stabbed wide following a good cross from Navas.
City almost nicked it when former Villa captain Delph, who was booed when he came on, went close moments after Fernando had struck the bar in a frenetic end to the game.
Aston Villa have a difficult, but winnable, couple of games ahead of them in November. They visit Everton after the international break before welcoming Watford the following week.
It is also a big month for Manchester City, who face Juventus, Liverpool and Southampton, although the two Premier League games are at home. Agency report