Pep Guardiola’s final match in charge of Manchester City ended in heartbreak as Aston Villa came from behind to secure an emotional Premier League victory at the Etihad Stadium, inspired by a brilliant Ollie Watkins double.
The City manager confirmed this week that he will leave the club after a historic decade in charge, bringing the curtain down on a remarkable spell that delivered 20 major trophies and transformed the club into one of football’s dominant forces.
For a while, it looked as though Guardiola’s farewell would end in celebration.
January signing Antoine Semenyo fired City ahead early on, volleying home after a flick-on from a corner to continue his outstanding debut campaign and take his league tally to 17 goals.
But Villa, fresh from their Europa League triumph and already guaranteed Champions League football next season, produced a superb second-half comeback to spoil the occasion.
Watkins equalised moments after the restart when he capitalised on a poor headed clearance from John Stones, poking the ball past James Trafford from close range.
The afternoon then took on an even more emotional tone as departing captain Bernardo Silva received a standing ovation when substituted, embracing Guardiola in tears on the touchline.
Villa completed the turnaround just after the hour mark when Watkins raced through on goal before calmly finishing beyond Trafford.
Although the flag initially went up for offside, VAR overturned the decision after Ruben Dias was shown to have played the striker onside.
City thought they had rescued a dramatic late point when Phil Foden smashed home via the crossbar in stoppage time, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside - a decision that left Guardiola slumped in disappointment on the bench.
The defeat ended City’s 15-match unbeaten league run and confirmed Aston Villa’s fourth-place finish, while also ending Bournemouth’s hopes of reaching next season’s Champions League.
There were emotional scenes throughout the afternoon as supporters, players and staff paid tribute to a manager who redefined Manchester City.
Guardiola leaves with an extraordinary collection of achievements, including four consecutive Premier League titles and the first-ever 100-point season in English top-flight history.
Sunday also marked his 593rd match in charge, taking him beyond Les McDowall as the manager with the most games in City history.
Although City added the FA Cup and Carabao Cup to their collection this season, their title challenge faded after a draw at Bournemouth earlier in the week, and Villa ultimately brought their campaign to a disappointing close.
Stones and Silva, both leaving the club this summer, were also honoured during the match with emotional farewells from supporters.
Erling Haaland was rested ahead of Norway’s World Cup preparations but still finished the season as the Premier League’s top scorer with 27 goals.
Foden nearly provided the perfect ending before his effort was ruled out, but the final whistle still brought a powerful response from the home crowd as chants echoed around the stadium in tribute to Guardiola’s unforgettable reign.
For Aston Villa, the victory capped a remarkable week.
Unai Emery’s side arrived in Manchester on the back of lifting the Europa League trophy - their first major silverware in 30 years - and completed the job by sealing fourth place in the league.
After a sluggish first half, Villa looked transformed following the interval.
Watkins led the resurgence with two expertly taken goals, continuing the superb form that has made him one of the Premier League’s standout forwards in recent months.
The England striker, expected to support Harry Kane at this summer’s World Cup, now heads into the tournament with eight goals in his last 10 league appearances.
Villa’s revival under Emery has been extraordinary, and victory over Guardiola’s City provided another emphatic statement about how far the club has come under the Spaniard’s leadership.
