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FULL-TIME: ASTON VILLA 4-2 MAN CITY
The final whistle goes and, despite the resistance of the injury-hit City side, Villa secure the points after Agbonlahor scores an incredible seven minute hat-trick.
Kelvin Etuhu is dispossessed in the box after good build-up play from City.
Three minutes of stoppage time will be added.
Vedran Corluka scores! The City player scores after a deflected effort from Johnson finds his team-mate.
Petrov takes the free-kick, but the effort is a tame one and is easily saved by Friedel.
Elano attempts to curl in a long range effort, but he is fouled in the process, and City win a free-kick.
Stephen Ireland and Daniel Sturridge come on to replace Gelson Fernandes and Ched Evans for City.
Hughes shakes his head in disbelief as he watches his side go from possible victory to heavy defeat in just six minutes!
Agbonlahor scores! The striker scores a six minute hat-trick after going through one-on-one with the keeper and finishing with ease.
Agbonlahor scores! After fantastic work from Gareth Barry, the through ball finds the striker who gives Villa a 3-1 lead.
Agbonlahor scores! Young sends in a corner that Davies flicks on, Agbonlahor is the first to it and volleys home.
Tal Ben Haim makes a great challenge and stops Agbonlahor from getting a shot on target.
Blumer Elano scores! The Brazilian sends the keeper the wrong way and City are level.
Johnson gets into the box, and he is brought down, its a penalty for City!
Vedran Corluka sends in a great cross, but no City player can get onto the end of it as the chance goes begging.
Villa will be looking to get a second and put this game out of City's reach with Hughes's men looking dangerous on the attack.
Villa survive the period of pressure from City, and the game loses its tempo as a result.
City have responded well and have been dominant since the goal, manager Hughes will be very pleased with his sides response.
Carew scores! The Norweigen Striker heads home after Barry supplies the cross after good wing play on the left.
The second half gets underway as both sides will look to capitalise on their efforts, something neither team could manage in the first half.
Both sides produce good chances of note, but neither side can break the deadlock as the sides go into the break all square.
Agbonlahor has a great chance to tap the ball in from close range, but Richards makes a great interception and is able to clear the danger.
Agbonlahor has a great chance for a tap in, but Richards puts in a great challenge and clears the danger.
Evans has a good chance for City, but his side-footed volley is over the bar.
Etuhu goes down the wing and sends in a great cross into the box, but unfortunately for City, no one is in the box to receive it.
Ben-Haim receives the first booking of the game for a reckless challenge on Barry.
Petrov decides to shot on goal when he had better options to choose from, the effort is wide and the chance is gone.
Barry has an opportunity to put Villa ahead, but his shot is well saved by Hart.
The game has going into a bit of a lull as both sides pass the ball around looking for that killer through ball, especially Villa who know the pace of Agbonlahor could make all the difference.
Villa are awarded a free-kick from 30 yards out, but Johnson defends well and heads the danger clear.
Possession switches between the sides quickly as both sides look to settle early on.
Carew tries his luck from the edge of the box with a side-footed effort, but the shot is easily saved by City keeper Hart.
Carew should have put Villa in the lead there, a corner is put into the box, and the Villa striker heads wide of the left post.
With a new season underway, both sides will be optimistic for a result today, however after midweek's European ties, Villa can be excused for being the more confident of the two sides.
Mark Hughes's season has got off to a terrible start, with strikers Benjani and Vassell injured, and with new signing Jo in Beijing, goals may be hard to come by for the Citizens.
Kick-off at Villa Park brings bad news for the away side as Valeri Bojinov is injured before a ball is even kicked! Ched Evans starts in his place.
Valeri Bonjinov starts as Benjani & Vassell are both injured, and Dunne is suspended after being sent off in the last game of last season as City begin with: Hart, Corluka, Richards, Ben-Haim, Garrido, Etuhu, Gelson, Johnson, Petrov, Elano, Bojinov
Villa hand out a debut for Right-Back Luke Young, while Carew starts after recovering from a calf injury as Villa kick-off with: Friedel, Luke Young, Davies, Laursen, Shorey, Reo-Coker, Petrov, Barry, Ashley Young, Agbonlahor, Carew
Gabriel Agbonlahor celebrated signing his new contract in style as his quick-fire hat-trick inspired Aston Villa to victory against Manchester City. Agbonlahor, who put pen to paper on a four-year deal this week that ties him to the club until 2012, struck three times in just seven second-half minutes to grab the first treble of his career after Villa had threatened to throw away victory. Villa dominated the game and deservedly took the lead through John Carew in the 47th minute. But they briefly hit the self-destruct button allowing Elano to equalise from a 64th minute penalty. Agbonlahor then came to Villa's rescue in stunning style to leave new City boss Mark Hughes with a major headache as even a last minute strike from Vedran Corluka couldn't hide their problems. Troubled City must have sensed it would not be their day even before the game kicked-off. Still reeling from last Thursday's shock UEFA Cup defeat at the hands of FC Midtjylland, City were stunned when they lost injury-jinxed striker Valeri Bojinov in the warm-up with an ankle problem. They were extremely fortunate to get to half-time on level terms after Villa peppered their goal in the opening exchanges. Carew set the tone after just six minutes when he headed an Ashley Young cross wide, before Young saw his shot blocked by Michael Johnson. Carew was a constant menace to City and twice in the space of two minutes it needed smart saves from Joe Hart to deny the Norway international. City, who threatened briefly through Kelvin Etuhu when he shot just wide after turning away from Nicky Shorey, had another double let off when Gareth Barry's finishing let him down. He fired just wide in the 26th minute when Hart tipped a cross from Nigel Reo-Coker into his path and was then denied by his England team-mate. Some last ditch defending by Micah Richards, who cut out Barry's centre as Agbonlahor prepared to pounce, rescued City on the stroke of half-time, before Reo-Coker was inches away from meeting a cross from Young. City's charmed life could not last for ever and Villa's pressure finally told just two minutes after the interval. Young made another trademark run down the wing and fed Carew, who made no mistake with a far post header. Ironically that sparked City into their best spell of the match. Brad Friedel had to tip Javier Garrido's low angled drive around the post, before Martin Petrov fired into the side-netting when well placed. Villa still looked untroubled and it was no surprise that it took a mistake from Martin O'Neill's side to let City back into the game from the penalty spot. Johnson's surge into the area was ended by a foul from Luke Young and Elano converted from the spot. But all that did was set the scene for Agbonlahor to steal the show. The England Under-21 international opened his account with a spectacular close-range volley in the 69th minute after Curtis Davies had nodded an Young corner back across the face of goal. He then ended City's challenge five minutes later with a neat far post header following a left wing centre from Barry. Barry also set up his third in the 76th minute after releasing Agbonlahor, who raced clear before curling his shot around the helpless Hart. City did at least manage to end the match on a high when Johnson fed Corluka and he beat Friedel from close range but it was scant consolation.
Corners
Fouls
Goal attempts
Shots off target
Offsides
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