With the title already confirmed to be heading to North London, City’s clash with Villa was no longer about bidding for glory, but rather about sending Guardiola, John Stones and Bernardo Silva off on a winning note.
It was the latter of that trio who saw the first big chance of the game fall his way, as Silva exchanged passes with Savinho before striking towards goal, and although his effort tested Marco Bizot, his fairytale moment didn’t come.
City didn’t have to wait too much longer to nose in front though, as midway through the first half, Tijjani Reijnders’ corner was turned in at the back post by the unmarked Antoine Semenyo.
Savinho looked dangerous for the hosts, and he came close to doubling their advantage just a matter of minutes later when he watched on with angst as his deflected effort drifted agonisingly wide of the far post.
It was the Brazilian who the next big chance fell to as well, as he was quickest to react to Phil Foden’s deflected effort and forced Bizot into a fine reaction save at his near post to ensure a heavily-rotated Villa side - following their mid-week European triumph - went into the break just a goal behind.
Many expected Unai Emery’s men to be displaying a European hangover here, but Ollie Watkins wasn’t showing any signs of the midweek celebrations affecting him when he reacted quickest to City failing to clear a corner and fired home to silence the Etihad.
There was to be no crowning moment for Silva, who was withdrawn just before the hour mark to a standing ovation from all of those of a blue persuasion inside the Etihad.
City fans were soon silenced, though, when Ross Barkley slipped Watkins in behind and he arrowed in from the right and caressed an effort into the bottom corner.
Villa could have been forgiven for sitting back from there, but they instead remained on the front foot and came within a lick of paint of doubling their advantage when Leon Bailey crashed an effort against the inside of the post.
City probed for a late leveller to try and send their boss on his way on a high note, and one of the men whose career started under his stewardship, Phil Foden, thought he’d grabbed it in stoppage time only for VAR to controversially rule it out after he’d strayed offside in the build-up.
Defeat brought a sour end to a glittering period for City, while victory was a crowning moment in Villa’s best season in modern history.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
