Surely it was over. The look on Josep Guardiola's face said it all. It was like his worst nightmare had come through. When ex-Liverpool legend Philippe Coutinho latched on to Ollie Watkins' flick-on and shot home; it was all doom for Manchester City. Surely there was no way back for them. They hadn't even looked close to coming back. Even though Liverpool were still drawing 1-1 with Wolverhampton Wanderers in the other game; there was a sense of foreboding that they would somehow score sooner or later.
Guardiola; in an increasing sense of desperation; had brought on his three substitutes: Oleksandr Zinchenko; Ilkay Gundogan & Raheem Sterling. And therein lay the foundation for a comeback. Where Fernandinho had been hesitant; Zinchenko was forceful. Where Bernardo Silva hovered too deep; Gundogan powered into the box.
Villa were coasting until Gundogan rose above Cash to head home at the far post. Suddenly there was some life in the City camp. And when Rodrigo steered in Zinchenho's cut-back; the miracle seemed to take on Istanbul proportions. The momentum had turned too much the other way. And when the erratic Tyrone Mings did another strange clearance; the ball fell to (of all people) Kevin de Bruyne; who played a cross-shot into the perfect spot that City could score a goal; pounced on again by Gundogan. It was over.
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