Having announced his departure last week his side's draw with Bournemouth, Guardiola would have wanted to end on a high, but saw his side held back by the newly-crowned Europa League champion. 

Antoine Semenyo capitalised on some pedestrian defending from Andres Garcia to put City ahead in the 23rd minute, but Ollie Watkins' quickfire brace turned the game on its head.  

The Villa forward, fresh off his inclusion in England's World Cup squad, struck twice within 16 minutes of the restart to put City in a spot of bother, while stalwarts Bernardo Silva and John Stones were given guards of honour as they left the Etihad pitch for the final time. 

Leon Bailey struck the woodwork during a frenetic closing spell as Villa pursued its third, before Phil Foden controversially saw a 90th-minute leveller ruled out for offside by the barest of margins after a VAR review.

Nonetheless, the scenes after full-time belonged to Guardiola, Stones and Silva, with the three departing City icons, and Premier League greats, receiving a fitting send-off from the Etihad crowd.