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Randy Lerner was at Villa Park yesterday, enjoying the steady and sustainable rise of his football club. When they talk about debt at Aston Villa these days they usually mean the one of gratitude they owe to their American owner. And there was cause to give thanks to Gabriel Agbonlahor as the forward scored the second-fastest hat-trick in Premier League history to make this another brow-furrowing day in Manchester City’s long summer of stress.

Their players appeared yesterday in a kit a fashionista might term “steward chic”, a luminous orange eyesore design described by the club as “blaze”. Did it signify burning ambition or a club going up in smoke? Both, perhaps.

One of those star-crossed moments in which City specialise came even before kick-off. Valeri Bojinov, the 22-year-old Bulgaria forward, was carried off after seriously injuring himself in the warm-up. This denied him a first Barclays Premier League appearance since he suffered knee ligament damage in the Manchester derby a year ago.

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“It’s a huge blow for Valeri, we’re all desperately disappointed for him,” Mark Hughes, the manager, said. “He’s completely snapped his Achilles and it looks like he’ll be out for six months.” With Benjani Mwaruwari and Darius Vassell sidelined, Ched Evans made his top-flight debut in Bojinov’s place.

Despite concerns over how much access the owner may have to his money, Hughes hopes that Thaksin Shinawatra will find the funds to buy a forward. “It’s a big ask to expect these young kids to carry the fight,” Hughes said. City sculpted some interesting attacks but lacked Villa’s pace, power and precision.

Agbonlahor possesses all three virtues, but he is only in the England Under21 squad this week. “I think his time will come,” Martin O’Neill, the Villa manager, said. “This was a great start for him and it’s a long season ahead. I was a bit surprised that Ashley Young was not in the squad, he’s been class for us. His time will come as well.”

Agbonlahor signed a new four-year deal last week and O’Neill plans to offer an extended contract to Young. “I’d like to sort him out. I don’t think the chairman has a problem about sorting out wages for people who are doing it week-in, week-out on the pitch,” he said.

Few are more reliable performers than Gareth Barry, even if he would like to be doing his stuff week-in, week-out on a pitch 90 miles northwest of Birmingham. Barry was jeered by City fans for his desire to join Liverpool, which prompted the home support to abandon their own equivocation and cheer him as he took a corner. The midfield player’s demeanour seemed generally joyless, although his performance was admirable.

A scoreless first half was soon forgotten when Villa found the net less than two minutes after the restart. Young’s fine left-wing cross gave John Carew a simple headed chance, with Micah Richards floundering and far away.

A key City asset was frozen yesterday: Richard Dunne, their suspended defender. Without his presence, the City penalty area was a comfortable place for a Villa player to be. Richards showed that his judgment remains less developed than his physique, while Tal Ben-Haim looked uneasy.

In contrast, one wondered who might provide a City goal. The answer: Luke Young and Stilyan Petrov. After 62 minutes, the Villa players were gripped by indecision, Michael Johnson bounded beyond them and was tripped by Young. Elano equalised from the penalty spot.

The home side’s riposte was Agbonlahor’s sub-eight-minute hat-trick, about three minutes tardier than the one Robbie Fowler scored for Liverpool against Arsenal in 1994. Agbonlahor hooked in from a central position after 68 minutes, was left unmarked to head in Barry’s left-wing cross after 74 minutes and was sent clear by Barry for a long run towards goal two minutes later that climaxed in an assured poke past Joe Hart. Vedran Corluka grabbed a spirited late second for the visitors.

“I don’t think the scoreline really reflects the nature of the game,” Hughes said. But visiting supporters began to file out with 15 minutes left. Like the fans, at City, optimism is leaving early.

Aston Villa ratings

4-4-2 B Friedel 8 L Young 5 M Laursen 7 C Davies 7 N Shorey 6 N Reo-Coker 6 S Petrov 6 G Barry 7 A Young 8 G Agbonlahor 9 J Carew 8 Substitutes not used S Taylor, M Harewood, Z Knight, M Salifou, W Routledge, C Gardner, I Osbourne. Next: Stoke (a)

Man City ratings

4-3-3 J Hart 5 V Corluka 4 T Ben-Haim Y 4 M Richards 4 J Garrido 5 K Etuhu 6 G Fernandes 5 M Johnson 6 C Evans 4 E Blumer 4 M Petrov 6 Substitutes S Ireland (for Fernandes, 81min), D Sturridge (for Evans, 81). Not used K Schmeichel, M Ball, N Onuoha, D Hamann, F Caciedo. Next: West Ham (h)

Referee: P Dowd. Attendance: 39,955