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Dunne defends McLeish Defender Richard Dunne has pleaded for Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish to be given time to make his mark at the midlands club, insisting: "You can't bring success overnight." A section of Villa fans are proposing a demonstration against McLeish ahead of Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash with Manchester City.

But statistics show McLeish's record after 23 league games at Villa is better than that of Martin O'Neill, who steered the club to three successive top six-finishes, and Gerard Houllier.

The former Birmingham boss has also had to contend with having limited money at his disposal for new signings and having to reduce the wage bill.

Dunne said: "Alex McLeish is desperate for this club to do well. Realistically for us to be challenging in the top 10 is sensible until the manager can settle the team down and make it grow.

"You can't bring success overnight. You need to give the manager time. He needs enough time to put his stamp on the team and build a squad and team to challenge.

"He's a good man. He's here all day, every day, doing absolutely everything he can to try and get things right.

"He talks to every player and wants their feedback to see what we can do to improve things and make things better. He's the same as the players. He's trying 100 per cent.

"Not everything we do is going to be correct but it's not for the want of trying." Former City player Dunne insists the players have a healthy respect for McLeish.

He said: "He treats us with great respect and treats men like men. He's also an honest guy.

"If you're doing well you'll get a pat on the back and, if you're not, you'll get told. I think we all need that.

"He's not afraid to stand up and tell people things. It creates men and it makes you want to be stand up and be counted.

"He has a fierce will to win too. He loves winning and hates losing. He has that winning mentality, 100%." McLeish believes Villa striker Darren Bent will get a fair crack of the whip from Harry Redknapp if he becomes the next England boss.

Bent was offloaded from Tottenham by Redknapp and, after one missed chance by the player, joked that his wife Sandra could have scored it McLeish said: "I've not spoken to Darren about it. I can understand his concern but Harry will look at all possibilities and see Darren's record is pretty good.

"He may pick Sandra first! Seriously, I think Benty will have as good a chance as anyone if he keeps scoring goals, and he has been scoring recently.

"He missed a few last week but again he was in the right positions. He had three or four shots at goal, a good ratio away from home in one game." Bent's strike partner, Gabriel Agbonlahor, is likely to be missing against City as he struggles to overcome back and hamstring problems.

McLeish said: "He is still a little bit tight in the hamstring area. We believe it is a nerve touching the disc. We are trying to rectify that.

"We know that Gabby would be very willing to play the game but, when he says that he is struggling a bit, you know that it is a genuine complaint." City boss Roberto Mancini does not expect the protest by Villa fans to weaken his side's opponents.

Whatever their dissatisfaction, Mancini believes the mood will have changed by kick-off and does not think the Villa players will be unsettled.

When asked if City could capitalise on any uncertainty, Mancini said: "We would hope to but I don't know this.

"It won't change our opinion, it will still be a difficult game.

"They lost their last game against Newcastle and so we will need to play a good game if we want to win against Aston Villa.

"When the game starts their supporters will support their team, always." Mancini also intends to ignore the performances of City's title rivals to concentrate solely on his own team's displays.

Mancini, who claimed he "didn't see" United's 3-3 draw at Chelsea last week, said: "We can't think about the other teams. We can lose our strength by thinking about the other teams." City are boosted by the return of captain Vincent Kompany from a knee injury while Samir Nasri is also fit after a groin problem.

Striker Mario Balotelli is again missing as he completes a four-match ban for a stamp on Tottenham's Scott Parker.

Aston Villa vs Man City

Last modified 18:22 12/02/12

City move back to summit Manchester City returned to the top of the Barclays Premier League with a rare away win of late, beating a floundering Aston Villa side 1-0.

City went into the match at Villa Park on the back of just one win in their previous six matches on the road, and after seeing rivals United depose them at the summit with their 2-1 win over Liverpool at Old Trafford.

With the pressure on Roberto Mancini's side, Joleon Lescott's 63rd-minute hook shot was enough to see the Eastlands club home, leaving Villa without a home win since November 5.

That is a run of five defeats and two draws, the kind of form that will have Villa nervously looking over their shoulders at the seven-point gap to the relegation zone.

It also further increases the pressure on manager Alex McLeish, who was the subject of a planned protest before kick-off.

It was a low-key affair attended by around 100 or so fans, with more looking on, mainly with amusement.

There were a few banners such as 'Had Your Chance McLeish Out' and a few chants along the lines of 'You'll be sacked in the morning'.

The first half was instantly forgettable from a Villa perspective as McLeish's side mustered one half chance, that a looping header from Richard Dunne in meeting a Stiliyan Petrov free-kick that was comfortably collected by goalkeeper Joe Hart.

Opposite number Shay Given was by far the busier, but even then he was barely extended to any great degree, despite City's dominance.

Appreciably, where Villa did shine was in defence, with central pairing James Collins and Dunne particularly solid in meeting head on the attacking firepower City possess, notably via Sergio Aguero and David Silva.

As early as the third minute the duo signalled their intent, with Silva knocking a tame Collins clearance into the path of Aguero for an edge-of-the-area shot collected by Given at the second attempt.

fGiven followed that up with a stop from former Villa star Gareth Barry whose shot took a slight deflection off Silva, but was not enough to send him in the wrong direction.

The only time Given was beaten in the first half was when Adam Johnson cracked in a low left-foot shot that ricocheted out of play off the left-hand post.

It proved to be the highlight of a relatively insipid half as Villa lacked any creative spark, and whilst City obviously had the edge, it was not as cutting as has previously proven to be.

Whatever McLeish's words at half-time, they inspired, but all too briefly.

Although Villa enjoyed more sustained possession for the opening few minutes than at any time in the first period, they failed to do anything with it.

Instead, it was City who again carved out the first chance of the period, with Silva teeing up Pablo Zabaleta for a rocket of an angled shot from 16 yards, but again with Given firmly behind the ball.

Pressure, however, soon began to mount and it finally told in the 63rd minute, with centre-back Lescott scoring his third goal of the season.

It was a goal created in claret and blue as James Milner's inswinging corner to the far post was met by a knock back from Barry into the danger area of the six-yard box for Lescott to delightfully hook home.

It was not until a male streaker appeared in the 75th minute that Villa livened up, twice coming close to an equaliser in the dying moments.

Initially Carlos Cuellar planted a free header over the bar in meeting a Petrov corner before Hart pulled off a brilliant save to thwart Darren Bent from close range.

But it was too little too late from a Villa perspective as City ultimately returned to winning ways on the road.