Manchester City's perfect start to the Premier League season unravelled at Villa Park on Saturday, as Aston Villa's Nicolas Jackson struck twice to hand Enzo Maresca's side a sobering defeat and expose a defensive unit in need of urgent repair.

The result leaves City having registered just one clean sheet across their last six outings — a troubling statistic for a club harbouring title ambitions. Their previous shutout came in an impressive win at Liverpool two weeks prior, but either side of that result they have leaked goals against opponents as varied as Champions League holders Paris St-Germain and top-flight newcomers Sunderland.

Donnarumma under the spotlight

The summer arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma was greeted with fanfare — the Italy captain replacing Ederson as one of the most celebrated goalkeeper signings in recent Premier League history. Yet questions about his distribution have followed him throughout the campaign.

Ederson redefined the role of the modern goalkeeper in England with his range of passing, and Donnarumma has found it difficult to replicate that standard. City captain Ruben Dias was visibly frustrated on Saturday, gesturing for his goalkeeper to play the ball long after Donnarumma struggled to control a difficult pass.