Man City 1, Aston Villa 2: Pep Guardiola's Era of Excellence Shattered as Ollie Watkins Sends World Cup Alert

OLLIE WATKINS sent Pep Guardiola to a losing send-off as his decade of Manchester City glory ended in a defeat that did not really matter.

On the day that the Etihad rose as one to say farewell to arguably the greatest manager of the Premier League era, suffered a rare home upset.

Pep Guardiola bid farewell to Man City and the Etihad Credit: PA But the farewell party was ruined by Ollie Watkins and Aston Villa Credit: Reuters

It looked as though the Catalan’s penultimate signing was going to mark the occasion with a final victory goal.

Antoine Semenyo’s lovely back post volley, eight days after the exquisite flick that completed the domestic cup double, was his 21st of the season and 11th since his January move from Bournemouth.

But two minutes into the second half, Watkins took full advantage of a back post blunder from – not the way the defender wanted his sign-off to go – to squeeze home the leveller.

And just after the hour, he danced away down the right for a second – after a long check overturned the original flag – with Stones left flat on his back.

It would have represented mixed news for , especially as he has earmarked Stones for a World Cup starting role.

With the City fans really waiting for the final whistle to allow them to say goodbye to the club’s finest boss, this was one time when it was less about the game than the occasion, tears for souvenirs in all directions.

Even so, while City wanted to give the Spanish gaffer his perfect send-off – , perhaps, with a point to prove, was denied a last-gasp leveller by VAR – Villa initially appeared exhausted, the remnants of a team still celebrating Wednesday night in Istanbul.

No blame there.

Evenings like that only come along every 44 years or so.

The surprise was that it took 23 minutes for the home side’s pressure to count.

and had already both gone close before the Dutch midfielder’s inswinging corner from the left-ing was inadvertently flicked on by Lamare Bogarde for Semenyo to cushion a volley back past and into the far corner.

It was the 1423rd goal under the Catalan, on the day that he broke Les McDowell’s record of 592 games in the City hotseat.

Antoine Semenyo looked to be sending Guardiola off in style Credit: Getty But Watkins’ second-half brace spoiled the party Credit: EPA

Guardiola barely twitched although he was on the edge of his technical area to witness rolling a couple of inches wide and Reijnders firing a free-kick fractionally over the top before he was denied by an excellent Bizot stop just before the break.

Yet Villa equalised barely a minute after the interval, from their first attempt on goal.

Again it came from a corner mistake, Stones, like Silva and the manager making his final appearance, heading a clearance straight at Watkins, who pounced from close range.

A weeping Silva left to a guard of honour from both sets of players, while Guardiola had given , and the afternoon off.

Touching tributes were paid to Guardiola as his era ended in defeat Credit: Reuters It was also an emotional end for John Stones and Bernardo Silva Credit: AP

And soon afterwards, Watkins had his second, escaping down the right from Ross Barkley’s pass, leaving Stones on his backside before poking past .

The flag went up but the first replay told a different story, Ruben Dias playing him onside, as Stockley Park eventually confirmed.

Stones, too, received a standing ovation and guard of honour when he was replaced, seconds after had smashed against the bar for resurgent Villa.

Chances at both ends followed, a whisker wide, Trafford denying John McGinn’s curler.

Erling Haaland was present at the Etihad to collect his Golden Boot Credit: Reuters While the newly expanded stand named after Guardiola was shown in full glory Credit: Reuters

When Foden, fed by Mateo Kovacic, crashed in off the bar in the final minute, it looked as if he had rescued a point.

Once again, Stockley Park, rightly, intervened – although the Etihad giant screens showed a graphic that appeared to put Foden ONSIDE.

You can guess how they went down.

Yet the scoreline did not prevent the Guardiola chants ringing round once more.

They all know things will never be the same again.