Soccer-Villa up to second, Man City back in the groove

Soccer Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v Burnley - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - December 30, 2023 Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz celebrates scoring their third goal with teammates Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley

LONDON (Reuters) -Aston Villa got back to winning ways and climbed into second place in the Premier League on Saturday, while Manchester City concluded a remarkable year with a victory and reminder they remain firmly in the hunt for a record fourth straight title.

Manchester United's chronic inconsistency returned, however, as they went down 2-1 at Nottingham Forest to complete a miserable first half of the season.