Aston Villa 2 Blackburn Rovers 1 - Report and pictures

With England boss Gareth Southgate in attendance, Dean Smith’s men took the lead when Tammy Abraham tapped home from close range.

Tyrone Mings then got what proved to be the winner when he headed home John McGinn’s cross.

Amari’i Bell’s close-range volley ensured a nervy finish but Villa held on to stay in the Championship top six.

Analysis:

Adam Armstrong had minutes before missed another good chance for the visitors and Smith may be frustrated at how his team made the final 20 minutes far more nervy than their needed to be.

The first hour, on the other hand, was in contention for the best Villa performance of the season.

Were it not for Blackburn goalkeeper David Raya, they would have been out of sight by half-time.

John McGinn, who had a hand in both goals, was together with Mings the standout performer on an afternoon when Grealish, with Southgate looking on, couldn’t quite find the heights of recent performances.

Blackburn deserve credit for sticking to their task but it still required an error by goalkeeper Jed Steer, who parried Mulgrew’s free-kick right into Bell’s path, to give them a chance.

Victory ensured Villa kept up the pace in the play-off race on a day when Bristol City and Derby both won.

With Axel Tuanzebe and Henri Lansbury back available after long injury absences, Smith had more options to choose from than for several months.

Ultimately, the head coach decided to stick with the starting XI which had performed so well against Middlesbrough last time out.

Any fears the two week break might have disturbed Villa’s momentum was quickly dispelled as they came flying out of the blocks and it wasn’t long before they were celebrating their 45th goal at home this season.

It is questionable whether they have crafted finer. Shielding the ball on the edge of the box, McGinn appeared to have few options before lofting a delicate pass out to Anwar El Ghazi on the left-hand side. The Dutch international chested the ball down before rolling it across the face of goal for Abraham to apply the simplest of finishes.

It broke a three-game goal drought for the 21-year-old and he would have been celebrating again just minutes later were it not for Raya, who saved superbly with his legs at close range.

The goalkeeper would pull off an even better stop to push McGinn’s fierce left-footed shot onto the post after Villa broke with pace and precision.

Yet it wasn’t entirely one-way traffic and Blackburn, though clinging on at points, carried a threat of their own.

Three times Craig Conway came close to an equaliser. First, he saw a vicious strike deflected over by Andre Green, before moments later curling an effort off the top of the bar.

Villa keeper Steer was then forced to tip another effort from distance round the post.

It was still the hosts, however, who should have been out of sight by the break.

El Ghazi missed a golden chance when he could only scuff wide following another impressive move.

The Dutch international then had the ball in the net in stoppage time after tapping home when Raya couldn’t hold Neil Taylor’s shot, only to be denied by an offside flag.

Villa would ultimately have to wait until just past the hour mark before increasing their lead, Mings heading home McGinn’s cross following a sustained spell of pressure around the Blackburn box.

Adam Armstrong should have reduced the deficit five minutes later but shot wide when sent clean through on goal by Bradley Dack.

But Bell would then make no mistake with 16 minutes remaining. McGinn gave away a free-kick 25 yards from goal and though Mulgrew’s effort appeared to be straight at Steer, he could only push the ball back out into the danger zone for Bell to fire into the roof of the net.

Abraham missed the chance to make the finish far less nervy when he blazed over after being fed by substitute Conor Hourihane. But Villa would not be denied their victory.

Key Moments:

8 - GOAL Tammy Abraham opens the scoring when he taps home from two yards out following an excellent Villa team move.

61 - GOAL Tyrone Mings gives Villa breathing space, heading home John McGinn’s cross.

74 - GOAL Blackburn are back in it. Amari’i Bell volleys into the roof of the net from close range after Jed Steer can only parry Charlie Mulgrew’s free-kick.

Teams:

Villa (4-3-3): Steer, Elmohamady, Hause, Mings, Taylor, McGinn, Whelan, Grealish (Hourihane 87), Green (Adomah 66), Abraham, El Ghazi Subs not used: Tuanzebe, Jedinak, Davis, Kodjia, Sarkic (gk).

Blackburn (4-2-3-1): Raya, Nyambe, Lenihan, Mulgrew ©, Bell, Travis, Bennett (Reed 60), Conway, Dack (Rodwell 66), Armstrong, Graham (Brereton 66) Subs not used: Williams, Smallwood, Rothwell, Leutwiler (gk).