Manchester City Extends Premier League Lead with Thrilling Victory over Aston VillaManchester City Extends Premier League Lead with Thrilling Victory over Aston Villa Manchester City maintained their commanding lead at the top of the Premier League table after a thrilling 4-2 triumph over Aston Villa on Wednesday night. The pulsating encounter at Villa Park featured late drama, stunning goals, and a remarkable comeback that kept the title race alive. Erling Haaland continued his prolific scoring streak, opening the scoring for City in the 5th minute with a clinical finish. However, Villa responded fiercely, with Ollie Watkins equalizing in the 22nd minute. The first half ended in a stalemate. After the restart, City’s Riyad Mahrez restored their lead in the 45th minute with a stunning free-kick. Phil Foden extended the advantage in the 61st minute, putting the visitors seemingly in control. However, Villa refused to give up. Leon Bailey pulled one back for the hosts in the 74th minute, and an own goal from Ruben Dias in the 82nd minute leveled the scores at 3-3. With the clock ticking down, City’s determination paid off. In the 84th minute, Jack Grealish, a former Villa player, found Kevin De Bruyne in the box, and the Belgian midfielder calmly slotted it home for the winner. The thrilling victory extended City’s lead at the summit to five points over Arsenal, who have a game in hand. Villa, meanwhile, remain in 11th place. Pep Guardiola’s side showed their resilience and attacking prowess despite going down twice. The win sets them up nicely for a crucial clash against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. Aston Villa can take heart from their spirited performance but will need to improve their defensive organization to move up the standings. The Premier League title race remains wide open, but Manchester City have taken a significant step towards retaining their crown with this hard-fought victory.