Manchester City had one striker back from injury, recalled another to the first XI and were awarded a penalty but they could still not find the net as Aston Villa ran out 2-0 winners in their Barclays Premiership match at Eastlands.

City, who have not scored at home in the league since New Year's Day and have done so just 10 times this season, are now perilously close to claiming an unwanted record by 'beating' the 11 scored by Sunderland in front of their own fans in 2003.

Villa had no such problems and extended their unbeaten run to seven matches with goals from John Carew and Shaun Maloney, while Joey Barton missed City's spot-kick.

Belgium striker Emile Mpenza was restored to the home side after missing the last two games with a hip injury, while fellow striker Georgios Samaras was also recalled alongside Stephen Ireland.

Pearce's hand was forced by injuries to DaMarcus Beasley and Michael Johnson. Villa boss Martin O'Neill had no such fitness worries but opted to recall Ashley Young in place of Patrik Berger.

The hosts started positively and less than a minute after a round of applause for former City manager Alan Ball, Joey Barton's through-ball made room for Mpenza down the right.

Dietmar Hamann was on hand when the ball squirmed free but his shot, on the half-volley, went comfortably wide from 20 yards.

Two minutes later the German midfielder could have shot from similar distance but instead laid the ball to Barton whose curled effort lacked the power to beat Thomas Sorensen.

Villa hit back with a chance of their own when Gareth Barry headed over from Young's corner but in the 12th minute, City's Darius Vassell had a wonderful chance to score a sixth goal past his former side in as many matches. Instead he shot straight at Sorensen from a wonderful position.

Gabriel Agbonlahor failed to make the former England man pay when he produced an equally wasteful effort at the other end just seconds later.

But the opener soon came when City's concentration faltered the three minutes later.

Young showed some nice footwork on the left flank before teeing up a cross for Carew, who left two defenders flat-footed as he rose to power home his header.

Agbonlahor missed another great chance on the half-hour mark and when Sorensen paid too close attention to Vassell on the stroke of half-time City were handed a lifeline.

The decision marked the former England striker out for some booing from the away end but when Barton, his side's best player for long spells, stepped up he blasted high over the crossbar.

The ineffective Nedum Onuoha was sacrificed at the interval for Sun Jihai and the China defender was soon in action, winning a header under pressure from the lively Agbonlahor.

Stephen Ireland curled in a teasing cross for City in the 53rd minute and while Samaras did well to win the ball, his glanced header lacked power and direction.

With an hour gone centre-back Sylvain Distin was the next to try his luck for the hosts, but he could not force a save from Hamann's searching cross.

Agbonlahor exchanged passes with the surging Wilfred Bouma as Villa counter-attacked but the Dutch defender lofted his finish high and wide.

Mpenza then had a glorious chance, breaking into yards of space before drilling straight at Sorensen when one-one-one with the Dane.

Pearce hauled off a tired-looking Hamann after 68 minutes, giving Trevor Sinclair a chance to change things from the bench, while goalscorer Carew made way for Maloney soon after.

The changes did not change the flow of play, though, with Richard Dunne, Sun and Samaras all losing possession with lazy passes.

Villa eventually took the hint and pressed home their advantage in the 75th minute when Maloney bent a free-kick past Isaksson to ensure the points.

Teams:

Man City Isaksson, Onuoha (Jihai 46), Dunne, Distin, Ball,Hamann (Sinclair 68), Barton, Ireland, Vassell, Samaras, Mpenza.

Subs Not Used: Weaver, Dabo, Trabelsi.

Booked: Hamann.

Aston Villa Sorensen, Bardsley, Mellberg, Laursen, Bouma,Gardner, Petrov, Barry, Young, Carew (Maloney 71),Agbonlahor (Moore 86).

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Cahill, Berger.

Goals: Carew 24, Maloney 75.

Att: 40,799

Ref: M Halsey (Lancashire).