MAN CITY 4 – 1 Aston Villa – PLAYER RATINGS

Hart - Superb save to deny Agbonlahor and couldn’t do anything to prevent the goal. Wasn’t tested as much as I thought he might have been - 7

Richards - A strong and vibrant display until he went off injured. Contained Agbonlahor for the most part and managed to get forward frequently. Hopefully he’ll be fit enough to return against Villarreal - 7

Kompany - Always good to see him get on the scoresheet. A solid performance at the back, dealing with Bent and limiting the aerial threat of Heskey. A few nice touches as he advanced as well - 7

Lescott - A couple of slips allowed Villa in, but fortunately, we weren’t punished. Otherwise fine, read the game well and brought the ball forward - 6

Clichy - Bundles of energy down the left and linked up well with Balotelli when the striker drifted out wide. Not given a defensive problem by Villa - 7.5

De Jong - Fantastic to have him back. Makes us sturdier in midfield and much tougher to break down. His presence limits the threat of a counter attack and he was at his influential best. Won his tackles, kept the ball and will be crucial in the next two games - 8

Barry - Kept things ticking over nicely and benefited from having De Jong alongside him, which freed Barry to go further forward when he wanted - 6.5

Y. Touré - Pushed into his role from last season and looked much more threatening for it. Has always linked up well with Balotelli and yesterday was no different. Surged forward on occasions and was a menace. But with Silva, Nasri and Aguero all set to return on Tuesday, he’ll either be pushed back into holding midfield or have to settle for a place on the bench - 7

A. Johnson - Took his goal superbly and had a hand in the others, but I’d still like to see more from him. Virtually anonymous in the first half but improved after the break when Villa pushed forward, thus leaving him more space. Won’t start the big games - 7

Milner - His late strike was sensational and reward for all the extra work Milner puts in after training on his shooting. Ran tirelessly and was always looking for the ball. The perfect team player - 8

Balotelli - An outstanding, man of the match performance. His goal was stunning and a sign of his indubitable quality. But it was his all round game that impressed. He worked hard leading the line, tracked back and won tackles, displayed some wonderful trickery and brought the rest of the team into the game. Wound up by the Villa fans early on, he showed them just what a special player he is. I do, however, prefer his previous hairstyle - 9

Subs

K. Touré - Good to see him make his Premier League return and he looked much sharper than he had when surprisingly selected against Bayern Munich - 6.5

Silva - You were almost tempted to feel sorry for Aston Villa when we were cruising and then brought Silva on! Will benefit from the rest and looked neat when he did come on. Couple of dangerous shots and should have scored - 7

Hargreaves - Pleasing to see him make his first Premier League appearance. Put himself about but the intensity had gone by the time he was introduced - 6

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