Manchester City has woken up after a sleepy, sloppy 15 minutes to start the game, but has not been able to find a way past Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan at Villa Park on NBC this Saturday afternoon.
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It’s scoreless at the break, and this adequately sums up the first 15 minutes:15 minutes gone and we’ve still had just 2 shots, both of which have been blocked. Wake up lads. pic.twitter.com/GzaNSxOywy
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) October 4, 2014
Manchester City started to find their attack in the next 10 minutes, though, and Aleksandar Kolavor’s brilliant cross was nearly headed into the upper 90 by Sergio Aguero. It sailed teasingly wide.
They kept knocking, but the last touch on their wonderful combinations was missing. Edin Dzeko sent one skyward in the 34th minute.
Former Villa attacked James Milner had a shot deflected out for a corner in the 45th minute, and the ensuing deadball was deflected wide after Kolarov found a low shot. Two more Villa clearances led to more corners, but the hosts held on for halftime.
Lineups
Aston Villa: Guzan, Hutton, Senderos, Baker, Cissokho, Delph, Westwood, Cleverley, Richardson, N’Zogbia, Agbonlahor
Subs: Given, Bacuna, Clark, Sanchez, Bent, Weimann, Benteke
Manchester City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Kompany (C), Mangala, Milner, Fernandinho, Toure, Silva, Dzeko, Aguero
Subs: Caballero, Demichelis, Sagna, Lampard, Navas, Jovetic, Fernando