Manchester City's perfect start to the Premier League ended in a 2-1 loss at Aston Villa, allowing Arsenal to move level on points atop the standings on Saturday. Nicolas Jackson scored both goals for Villa against a City that was aiming for an eighth straight league win. Victory extended Villa’s outstanding recent run to six wins from seven games in all competitions. “It is incredible," The Associated Press quoted Jackson as saying. "It was difficult but we got the win and that is the most important thing. Now we can focus on the next one.” After City's defeat in the early kickoff, defending champion Arsenal took advantage by beating Everton 2-0 at Emirates Stadium. Ezri Konsa and Gabriel Magalhaes scored in each half for Mikel Arteta's team, which is second on goal difference. Arsenal's Brazilian defender #06 Gabriel Magalhaes (L) and Arsenal's English defender #15 Ezri Konsa (R) applaud fans after the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Everton at the Emirates Stadium in London on October 24, 2026. Arsenal won the game 2-0. (Photo by Henry NICHOLLS / AFP) Fulham beat Coventry 1-0 and Chelsea was playing Tottenham in the late kickoff. Arsenal ends unlikely run Konsa scored his first goal for Arsenal since joining from Villa at the start of the season and ended the champion's run of 13 games without scoring from a set-piece. Last season's title victory relied heavily on Arsenal's scoring efficiency from corners, in particular, but Konsa's scrambled goal after seven minutes was its first in any competition this term, excluding penalties. “A goal from a set-piece has felt like it has been coming. Today was the day,” Konsa said. Gabriel was also on target, heading in the second in the 68th for his first of the campaign. After showing its Champions League credentials with a 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich midweek, Arsenal strengthened its title defense with victory against Everton to move to neck and neck with City, with just goal difference separating them. “We’re very happy with the victory, the performance and the week, because we were given a terrible schedule,” Arteta said. “We just have to focus on what we can do, and we’re very pleased with 90% of the performances and results.” Emery a ‘tactical genius’ Villa is rapidly climbing the standings after a desperate start to the campaign saw it fail to win its opening four games and picked up just one point. The difficult start was understandable after a hugely disruptive offseason when a raft of star players left the club including Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins, Konsa, Emi Martinez and Youri Tielemans. Unai Emery, who transformed the club from relegation battler to Champions League contender, was forced to rebuild a team that won the Europa League last season, and has done that in double-quick time. Villa's last defeat was on Sept. 12, to Nottingham Forest 2-1. Since then Emery's team is unbeaten. Jackson is up to seven goals in all competitions. He fired the opener inside six minutes at Villa Park. Erling Haaland headed City level in the second half, but Jackson got his second and the winner with a first-time finish that squirmed under goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. City fell to a fourth defeat at Villa Park in as many seasons. “Emery is just a tactical genius. Especially against Man City at our place we have been really good," Villa defender Matty Cash said. “He always has a plan for something and is always coming up with new ideas. When you play against top teams you have to adapt and we did that today.” Maresca not so perfect now Maresca said City would learn lessons from its first league defeat. The Italian enjoyed a perfect start in England's top flight since succeeding Pep Guardiola in the offseason. Villa joined Arsenal and European champion Paris Saint-Germain as the only teams to beat City in any competition this season. “I don’t think we deserved to lose today, but we lost,” Maresca said. “You can always learn something.” Oscar Bobb scored in the 80th to seal victory for Fulham at Coventry.
