Man City Loses again in 2-1 Defeat to Aston Villa

Manchester City's Phil Foden reacts after Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Manchester City, at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
Manchester City's Phil Foden reacts after Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Manchester City, at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
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Man City Loses again in 2-1 Defeat to Aston Villa

Manchester City's Phil Foden reacts after Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Manchester City, at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
Manchester City's Phil Foden reacts after Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Manchester City, at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

Manchester City's stunning slump continued Saturday with a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa in the Premier League.

Goals from Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers at Villa Park consigned the four-time defending champion to nine defeats and just one win in 12 games, The AP reported.

Phil Foden pulled a goal back for City in stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough.

City dropped to sixth in the standings — nine points below leader Liverpool, having played two games more.

Villa climbed to fifth.



Renard Confirms Saudi National Team's Readiness for the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup

The Saudi team is set to face Bahrain on Sunday - SPA
The Saudi team is set to face Bahrain on Sunday - SPA
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Renard Confirms Saudi National Team's Readiness for the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup

The Saudi team is set to face Bahrain on Sunday - SPA
The Saudi team is set to face Bahrain on Sunday - SPA

French coach Hervé Renard has confirmed the Saudi national football team's readiness to compete in the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup in Kuwait, from 21 December 2024 to 3 January 2025, and stressed that the team aims to achieve great results, rather than merely gain experience.
Renard also said the tournament is a valuable opportunity to enhance the players' technical and physical capabilities, SPA reported.
Speaking at a press conference, Renard said: "We are here to participate effectively and win. This tournament provides a great platform to work with the players and prepare them for future competitions."
Regarding the team's condition, Renard said that player Hassan Tambakti is ready for action, while Salem Al-Dawsari is "working on regaining full fitness".

He commended Al-Dawsari for his dedication to speeding up his recovery. Meanwhile, Firas Al-Brikan is dealing with an injury, and his availability will depend on further evaluations, said Renard.
Acknowledging the challenges ahead, Renard said: "I accepted this challenge because I believe in the players' capabilities. We must work with team spirit and focus on improvement in the coming period."
As far as the team's opening match against Bahrain is concerned, Renard said: "We are preparing for a tough game. The preparation period was crucial, and our focus now is on delivering a strong performance."
The Saudi team is set to face Bahrain on Sunday in what promises to be an exciting start to their Gulf Cup matches. Both teams are eager to make a strong impression in their opening match.