West Brom 0 Aston Villa 3 - Report

In a first half that was overshadowed by VAR, Dean Smith’s side opened the scoring in the fifth minute through Anwar El Ghazi.

The Baggies then saw Jake Livermore sent off just past the half-hour-mark for a reckless challenge on Jack Grealish.

Referee Martin Atkinson initially gave the Baggies skipper a yellow card, but overturned his original decision after checking his pitch-side monitor.

While the official got the decision right second time around, Villa were then somewhat fortunate when Kortney Hause didn’t see red just four minutes later.

The defender produced a late challenge that on another day could have broken the ankle of Grady Diangana.

But VAR Darren England, in Stockley Park, didn’t think there was 'excessive force' in the challenge and the former Wolves man escaped with a yellow card.

From that point on it was a game of attack versus defence with Villa camped in Albion’s half.

In the first competitive meeting between Dudley-born Allardyce and West Bromwich-born Smith, the visitors thought they had a second when Watkins stabbed home, only to ruled offside by the tiniest of margins.

But in the closing stages, Villa went on to make the scoreline emphatic.

Bertrand Traore effectively put the game to bed with a wonderful finish from 18 yards.

El Ghazi then scored his fourth goal in three appearances at The Hawthorns when he stroked home a penalty after Semi Ajayi had tripped Grealish.

The result sees Villa jump up to ninth in the table.

Albion, meanwhile, remain 19th – three points from safety and with an inferior goal difference.

Report

Perhaps unsurprisingly having had such little time to work with his new squad, Allardyce kept faith with the team that secured an impressive draw at Man City when naming his starting line-up.

It meant the Baggies continued in a 4-5-1 formation, with Dara O’Shea partnering Semi Ajayi at the heart of defence and Kieran Gibbs and Darnell Furlong at full-back.

In midfield, Romaine Sawyers was the deepest of three central midfielders, with Jake Livermore and Conor Gallagher slightly more advanced.

Matt Phillips started on the right flank, with Diangana on the left and Karlan Grant the lone striker.

Villa had Matty Cash and Douglas Luiz available again following suspension and both came straight back into the side having sat out Thursday's 0-0 draw with Burnley.

But there was still no Ezri Konsa, who again missed out through illness, while on-loan Chelsea star Ross Barkley was deemed not quite ready to return and sat out his fourth straight match with a hamstring injury.

Konsa's continued absence meant a second start in four days for Hause alongside Tyrone Mings at the heart of Villa's defence. Smith also kept faith with Traore and El Ghazi on the wings in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Jack Grealish operating just behind Ollie Watkins.

Albion had been guilty of making too many slow starts under Bilic. And that pattern continued under Allardyce with Villa needing just five minutes to open the scoring.

After a long-ball forward, Watkins did really well to cushion the ball down for Traore, who then curled a cross to the back post. And there waiting to turn it home was El Ghazi, who stabbed in from close range after escaping the attentions of Darnell Furlong.

Villa’s strong start continued for the opening half-hour, with Smith’s side dominant in midfield.

John McGinn and Douglas Luiz, in particular, were instrumental and gave the team a platform to consistently get themselves into dangerous areas.

But for all their possession, they struggled to create clear-cut chances.

McGinn lashed an effort over from 25 yards. Watkins then headed both over and wide from a whipped Cash delivery.

It was in the 36th minute that Livermore was given his marching orders, with the former England man sliding into Grealish recklessly and studs high.

Referee Martin Atkinson initially gave Albion’s skipper a yellow card, despite Grealish having a gash to the leg.

But after being told to look at the incident again on his pitch-side monitor, he changed that decision to red to ensure – for the second home game in a row – the Baggies had been reduced to 10 men.

While VAR got that call right, the Baggies were one again left feeling technology had let them down when, just moments later, Kortney Hause made a rash challenge on Diangana.

The former Wolves defender stamped on the winger’s ankle with a tackle that, on another day, could have easily caused a break.

But while VAR took a look, it deemed there wasn’t any excessive force in the challenge, with the defender escaping with just a yellow card.

Having been dominant against 11 men, Villa continued to control proceedings after the restart. And they went close to doubling their lead in the 48th minute when Grealish darted into the box and hit a low drive that Sam Johnstone stopped at his near post.

Smith’s men were now consistently knocking on the door and went even nearer to a second when a brilliant run from Grealish saw him surge to the byline.

He then sent in a cross which McGinn met, but his powerful header flashed wide.

As the clock ticked towards the hour mark, the match had essentially become attack versus defence, with Villa camped in Albion’s half.

The Baggies were standing up the task relatively well, with centre-backs O’Shea and Ajayi having been their best players.

But they were offering next to nothing going forward.

And the visitors threatened once again when, on the angle, Watkins hit a fierce effort just eight yards from goal, which Johnstone did well to beat away.

In the 71st minute, Villa thought they had finally put the game to bed when Cash’s cross was sidefooted in by Watkins.

The VAR checked it, though, and judged that – by the narowest of the margins – the former Brentford striker was offside.

The decision was either harsh or ridiculous depending on your viewpoint.

But with his team still in the game, Allardyce made a double change with Charlie Austin and Branislav Ivanovic replacing Phillips and Diangana.

It meant a switch in system to a 3-4-2, with Austin joining Grant up front and Ivanvoic teaming up with Ajayi and O’Shea in the back three.

In the 84th minute, though, Villa did get the second goal their performance undoubtedly deserved.

After collecting a pass from Grealish around 35 yards out, Traore carried the ball to the edge of the box.

The Burkina Faso international then produced an exquisite finish to calmly stroke the ball into the corner.

Just four minutes later, the result was even more convincing, with Ajayi tripping Grealish in the box.

El Ghazi made no mistake from the spot.

And in stoppage time the Dutchman could have had a hat-trick when he danced past a number of challenges in the box before seeing a fierce drive brilliantly parried over by Johnstone.

Teams

Albion (4-5-1): Johnsotne, Furlong, Ajayi, O’Shea, Gibbs, Phillips (Austin 77), Livermore, Sawyers, Gallagher, Diangana (Ivanovic 77), Grant (Robinson .

Subs not used: Button, Peltier, Kipre, Ivanovic, Krovinovic, Edwards, Grosicki, Robinson, Austin.

Villa (4-3-3): Martinez, Cash, Hause, Mings, Targett, McGinn, Luiz, Traore, Grealish, El Ghazi, Watkins.

Subs not used: Steer, Engels, Elmohamady, Taylor, Guilbert, Nakamba, Hourihane, Ramsey, Davis.