Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta was happy to overcome Aston Villa on Saturday.

Substitute Fernandinho struck in the 89th minute as unconvincing City claimed three Barclays Premier League points in a frantic finish at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Zabaleta said: "It was not our best game, we didn't play our best.

"But we must recognise when you win games playing badly it is always good, especially at this moment when all we need is three points and to keep winning games to secure the Champions League spot.

"Football sometimes is like that. Against Crystal Palace we played really well and we lost. This was not our best game and we won."