![Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva hands first defeat to Gerrard at Aston Villa](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/dc9830d68ada9387f5e46c58a51b476916edd13a/294_356_2658_1596/master/2658.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=d82004eabef6f8121c8fad87a27ca535)
Manchester City’s sixth consecutive victory derived from a scintillating Bernardo Silva goal that oozed quality from start to finish. It was also Pep Guardiola’s 150th
Premier League victory, achieved in a record 204 games, 26 fewer than José Mourinho – and a first defeat in charge of Villa for Steven Gerrard.
Given the six major players who were ruled out, Guardiola was overjoyed at how his side refused to be intimidated by a raucous opposition support. They repelled the speed of Villa on the counter while displaying their familiar silky attacks. Of his matchwinner Silva he said: “He is the best [in the league] – like two or three seasons ago, when we won the title with 98 points.”