Premier League: Aston Villa v Manchester City as it happened

Aston Villa's fans funnel down the stairs and away from Villa Park with their team in deep trouble. All the noise is being made by the visiting fans who show their noisy appreciation for City's efforts.

The pressure dissolves as Villa's corner-taker parks the set-piece on the roof of the Manchester City net. Poor.

Ciaran Clark's far-post header almost falls to Christian Benteke in the Manchester City box. The home side have a corner and the temperature is rising...

Edin Dzeko almost gets a toe on a cross at the near post, but lacks a yard of pace.

Villa are piling forward. Christian Benteke's appeals for a penalty are waved away as he flops down under pressure in the box from Matija Nastasic. The Serbian defender looked like he left his leg in there and got none of the ball. Tough on Villa.

Christian Benteke wins a header in the heart of the City box, but his knock-down cannot pick out Gabriel Agbonlahor. Aston Villa are readying Simon Dawkins on the bench.

Christian Benteke is toiling hard up front, but there is not a lot for him to chew on. Gael Clichy sees him off down by the corner flag and the Belgian looks a little fatigued as he jogs back into position.

Ashley Westwood's needlessly aerial ball across field is too high for Matthew Lowton and goes out for a City throw-in.

Nathan Baker screens off Edin Dzeko to prevent him getting involved in Carlos Tevez's attempt to hound Fabian Delph off the ball. The referee rightly reaches for his whistle. City clearly reckon they can milk the Villa defence for another mistake.

Pablo Zabaleta clears the set-piece under pressure from Chrsitian Benteke. Villa do not look they are going to die wondering in this game, that means that there will be space for City's attackers as well though.

Matthew Lowton hammers a viciously swerving shot goalwards. Unfortunately for Villa the swerve is a little too vicious, taking the ball wide of Joe Hart's post. But Villa have a corner now...

A little under half an hour to play at Villa Park as Carlos Tevez cracks a free-kick into the middle of a Aston Villa wall.

Aston Villa almost catch City with a swift counter as Andreas Wiemann's cross almost picks out Gabriel Agbonlahor's dart to the near post. The striker is a little too short to get his forehead onto the cross though. Now, if that had been Christian Benteke...

City are looking slick as an oil spill coming forward. Lovely passing from Yaya Toure and Edin Dzeko as they purr forward.

Aston Villa manger Paul Lambert is whirling like a dervish on the sidelines. He needs to conjure a little more composure rather than industry from his side though. They are looking flustered at the back and City are all about them in search of a second.

Carlos Tevez smacks well over from fully 30 yards, but he is brimful of confidence. Gabriel Agbonlahor was unfortunate at the opposite end when the referee blew for a foul against him as he eased a City defender out of the way.

It is a blindingly obvious thing to say, but the next goal is crucial. It doesn't feel far off either.

Look away Aston Villa fans of a pessimistic disposition. Your side have scored the least second-half goals of any Premier League team with 13 and have lost all nine games in which they trailed at the break. High time to buck that trend.

A lively start to the second period. Christian Benteke pulls his right boot back but Pablo Zabaleta nips in before he can crash in a shot from the edge of the box. At the other end Edin Dzeko's deflected shot needs close attention from Brad Guzan as it loops wide, but dangerously close to the upright of his goal.

David Silva is floating dangerously between the lines of Aston Villa's midfield and defence, The Spaniard probes, but Pablo Zabaleta's shot is blocked from Carlos Tevez's cut-back.

Out come the two sides and we are ready for the second half. Villa's honours.

The slow-motion replays suggest that Ciaran Clark's standing leg might have been taken by Edin Dzeko as he dallied with the ball under pressure in the build-up to the goal. The Villa captain was straight on at the officials about an apparent foul. It could have all been avoided if he had looked long and played safe though.

That is three in three for Carlos Tevez who was set up by Dzeko after Clark's inadvertent help.

By my reckoning that was only Jack Rodwell's 58th appearance in three seasons for club and country. For a man tipped as a future England captain, those twangy hamstrings are hampering his attempts to realise that considerable potential.

Tough to take for Aston Villa after a strong opening, but they could learn from their opponents who weathered an early storm to stay in with a shout. That is now 17 games in all competitions without a clean sheet for Aston Villa.

Aston Villa get a respite as Christian Benteke muscles in on Kolo Toure, a wrestling match emerges and the referee steps in to award the free-kick the hosts' way.

Manchester City work a corner short and catch Villa napping. James Milner has bags of time and space from just inside the area, he can summon up the power but not the accuracy as his shot flies clean over the top.

David Silva swivels on a sixpence, throwing the Villa defence off his scent. Carlos Tevez darts in behind the home side's defence, but the Spaniard's pass is a little overcooked.

Manchester City were wobbled a bit by Aston Villa's fast start, but they have managed to settle into the game in the last five minutes or so, enjoying the best of the possession and territory. Ten minutes to go until the break.

Ciaran Clark bundles over Carlos Tevez to give away a free-kick out on the left flank. James Milner takes on the responsibility, but his low shot, wrapped around the wall, is safely into the gloves of Brad Guzan.

He was a little slow getting back up to speed post the Africa Cup of Nations, but Yaya Toure looks like he is pulling the strings once again for Manchester City. The Ivorian finds Gael Clichy with a clipped ball forward before almost being played in as he runs beyond Carlos Tevez. Half an hour gone.

Aston Villa are popping the ball around neatly, but they are struggling to break down a deep Manchester City defence. Going back to the old school and slinging it into the big man Christian Benteke could be the plan against a nervy looking City centre-back partnership.

Jack Rodwell almost gets free at the opposite end, jinking past Matthew Lowton before slashing a shot over the top from a narrowing angle.

Aston Villa fans take to their feet and mark the 19th minute with a long round of applause in appreciation of Stiliyan Petrov, who is in remission after treatment for cancer.

James Milner shepherds a ball out of play over the Aston Villa byeline, convinced that Joe Bennett has got the final touch and that the officials will award a Manchester City corner. No such luck. The home fans enjoy breaking the news to Milner as he picks up the ball and heads for the flag.

Fabian Delph shows some neat dancing feet to get free in the middle of the pitch, but Villa cannot do anything with the space he has created. There has been plenty of promise from Villa so far, but no end-product.

Matthew Lowton is getting forward on the Aston Villa right to help out with the attacks. Christian Benteke doesn't look like he is going to stray far from the penalty box in the expectation of plenty of crosses from both flanks.

Jack Rodwell pulls the trigger from 25 yards, but that one is off the outside of his foot rather than the sweet spot and flies well wide of Brad Guzan's goal.

City are pressing high up the pitch, but Villa keep cool and head back to Brad Guzan who hoofs upfield.

Christian Benteke almost gets on the end of Gabriel Agbonlahor's cross before Andreas Weimann is a whisker away from Joe Bennett's centre. City look shaky.

Nervy stuff from Manchester City at the back as they make an almighty hash of clearing a Joe Bennett cross. Javi Garcia chops his clearance straight up in the air and Joe Hart screws his punch over his shoulder before Kolo Toure tidies up.

The City fans gave a rousing rendition of Roberto Mancini's song as the game got under way. Gabriel Agbonlahor wiped out Pablo Zabaleta in the opening 30 seconds. Villa look revved up for this judging by that.