Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard is hoping that his team can build on their draw against Man City to kickstart their season.
Man City squandered a chance to go top of the Premier League as Leon Bailey’s equalizer earned Aston Villa a valuable point at Villa Park, lifting Villa out of the bottom three.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Man United Signs Antony From Ajax For £82m As Dubravka Also Joins
“No-one gave us any hope or any chance before a ball was kicked,” said Gerrard.
“I’m really pleased and proud of what the players gave us and no-one can begrudge us a point, and it’s a big point.
“But the players need to take that confidence moving forwards. You hope it’s a foundation but it’s only a big point if you reset and back it up against Leicester and Southampton.
“The danger is if you think you’re moving in the right direction but don’t reset. There has been a lot of external noise and rightly so, but it’s now for me to lead even more and be stronger. We need to stick together and keep developing.”
Erling Haaland, the league’s leading scorer, scored his 10th goal in six games when he was in the right place at the back post to volley in Kevin de Bruyne’s superb cross.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Kylian Mbappe Scores After Eight Second As PSG Root Lille
After scoring in the 50th minute, Haaland had two more attempts saved by Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, and De Bruyne hit the crossbar with a 22-yard free-kick.
Those missed opportunities proved costly, as Bailey equalized in the 74th minute with a sweet first-time shot into the top corner off a square pass from Jacob Ramsey.
