Villa's away-day miseries continued as two Man City goals inside the last 12 minutes gave Kevin Keegan's side the three points.

And yet for spells in the second-half, it looked as if the long wait for a Premiership win on the road might be coming to an end.

Dion Dublin cancelled out Foe's first-half opener, but Benarbia restored City's lead on 78 and Foe wrapped-up the scoring two minutes later.

Enckelman almost blundered within two minutes as he failed to control Staunton's back-pass, nearly letting Wright-Phillips in to open the scoring.

Anelka fired just wide on five as Villa, playing a 3-5-2 formation, struggled to find their feet in the opening exchanges.

The hosts were in front on 15 as Foe slotted past Enckelman from the edge of the box, following measured build-up play from Anelka and Goater.

Villa's first attempt on goal came on 21 as Hadji was high and wide from 25-yards as he pounced on a poor clearance from former team-mate Schmeichel.

The Moroccan was robbed by Howey a minute later as he latched onto an inch-perfect through ball from Kinsella. Goater then fired straight at Enckelman from 25-yards.

Hadji, playing in a free-role, fired over from the edge of the box on 27. Seconds later Goater should have doubled City's lead as Mellberg slipped on the edge of the Villa box. He opted to pass and failed to find a team-mate.

Wright-Phillips was unable to keep his shot down on 35 as he met Anelka's cross from the left. Enckelman brilliantly denied Goater two minutes later, Barry sliding the ball away as Anelka followed-up.

Hitzlsperger's low right-foot effort failed to trouble Schmeichel five minutes before the break. De la Cruz then cut in from the right and saw the former Villa keeper block his low effort. Dublin fired over from the rebound.

Dublin levelled matters on 42 as he met Samuel's clever cut-back from the right and fired past Schmeichel from close-range.

Hadji met a long clearance from Enckelman four minutes after the restart, but saw his low shot blocked by Howey. Dublin was just unable to reach Hadji's cross from the left two minutes later.

The veteran striker did meet a Hadji cross on 53, but his knockdown fell kindly for Schmeichel. Samuel did well down the left on the hour-mark, but his cut-back was intercepted by Schmeichel at the near-post.

Foe should have restored Man City's lead on 64 as he found himself one on one with Enckelman. Fortunately he fired well over from 12-yards. Benarbia rattled the Villa post five minutes later as Villa stood off him on the edge of the box.

Angel's low shot went straight to Schmeichel on 75, as the Colombian exchanged passes with Barry. Dublin's header from a Samuel cross was then deflected over the bar. Hadji blazed wide from the corner.

Benarbia restored City's lead on 78, stooping to meet Anelka's low right-wing cross and head past Enckelman at the near-post.

Foe made it 3-1 two minutes later, sneaking in behind the Villa defence to round Enckelman and slot home.