Aston Villa ended Man City's flawless Premier League start, and Marc Guehi's defensive struggles left Enzo Maresca with plenty to fix.
Marc Guehi, the Abidjan-born defender, had a tough afternoon at Villa Park as Manchester City's perfect Premier League start came to a sudden stop. The centre-back was at the heart of City's defensive problems against Aston Villa, and the result ended their unbeaten run.
Until this game, City had won every league match and looked in control. Villa showed that the champions-in-waiting narrative came too early. They pushed City back, found gaps in the back line and made the visitors uncomfortable for long stretches.
Guehi was not alone. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma also struggled, so the problems stretched from the last line of defence to the heart of the back four. Two high-profile arrivals who were meant to bring calm and authority instead looked unsettled when the pressure came.
For Enzo Maresca, this is the first real test of his City project. Winning games hides flaws, but a defeat exposes them, and the spacing, communication and decision-making at the back now need urgent work on the training ground.
There is plenty of season left, and one setback does not undo a strong start. But the Premier League punishes defensive uncertainty quickly, and rivals will have noted how Villa troubled this City side. Maresca, Guehi and Donnarumma need answers fast.
