Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard hopes his side can use their draw against champions Manchester City as a foundation to kickstart their season.
City missed a chance to go top of the Premier League as Leon Bailey’s equaliser earned Aston Villa an excellent draw at Villa Park, while the point took Villa out of the bottom three.
“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.”
The league’s top goalscorer Erling Haaland got 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.
After scoring in the 50th minute, Haaland had another two efforts saved by Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez and De Bruyne also hit the crossbar with a 22-yard free-kick.
Those missed chances proved costly as Bailey struck a sweet first-time shot into the top corner from Jacob Ramsey’s square pass to make it 1-1 in the 74th minute.