Aston Villa 1 Leeds 0 - Report

Victory over Leeds, courtesy of Lewis Grabban’s first-half header, confirmed Villa’s place in the Championship play-offs.

It also kept alive their slim hopes of automatic promotion, moving them to within two points of second-placed Fulham.

After weeks in which they have been playing catch-up, Bruce and his players can now sit back and see if the Cottagers and Cardiff, who are only a point ahead in third, can restore their cushions when they face Brentford and Norwich respectively on Saturday.

Villa know remain very much rank outsiders, though it will only take one slip by their rivals to set levels of belief inside B6 on the rise.

This was Villa’s second home win inside four days, though nowhere near as dramatic as Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Cardiff.

But while Jack Grealish did not find the scoresheet this time, the 22-year-old still submitted another excellent performance, setting up Grabban for the only goal of the game and providing the hosts with their main creative outlet.

Villa were also boosted by a first start in six months for Jonathan Kodjia. Last season’s top scorer was denied a goal by Leeds keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell, who pulled off several key saves to keep his team in an often one-sided game.

Grabban’s goal, his fifth since joining on loan from Bournemouth in January, ultimately proved enough as Villa recorded their third straight home win.

Kodjia’s return to the line-up, for a first start since the October derby draw at Blues, was one of three changes to the Villa team from 72 hours previously.

There was also recalls for left-back Neil Taylor and midfielder Josh Onomah, the latter for his first start since February’s 4-2 win at Sheffield Wednesday.

With Axel Tuanzebe missing through injury, Conor Hourihane and Albert Adomah both dropped to the bench.

Mile Jedinak meanwhile retained his place alongside James Chester in the heart of defence, as captain John Terry missed out for the second straight game with an ankle injury.

Villa’s win over Cardiff had owed much to the excellent of Sam Johnstone and the goalkeeper was called into action inside the opening three minutes, tipping over a rising effort from Ezgjan Alioski after Leeds had worked an overlap on the right.

Kodjia had Villa’s first effort on target of the match, sending a right-footed shot straight at Peacock-Farrell from a tight angle, having cut in from the left wing.

The visiting keeper’s evening would get busier, with his next action saving a trademark curling effort from Robert Snodgrass.

Peacock-Farrell, who was quickly becoming the busier of the two keepers, was also on hand to punch clear a Snodgrass cross with Kodjia also jumping, while on another occasion he showed good awareness to come racing out of goal and beat the striker to a lofted through ball.

Grealish then saw a shot deflect off a team-mate and wide of the post, before the pressure eventually told and Villa took the lead on 29 minutes.

While nowhere near as dramatic as his winner against the Bluebirds, it was another excellent piece of work from Grealish, this time as creator, as he delivered a delicious right-footed cross, which Grabban headed home for his fifth Villa goal.

With their tails up, the hosts went in search of a quick second. Grealish sent a strike from distance straight at Peacock-Farrell, while Onomah showed excellent strength and skill to escape his marker, before drilling his shot wildly over the bar.

Villa also might have had a penalty prior to the break when Kodjia tumbled under the challenge of Tom Pearce as he attempted to meet a Grealish cross.

As it was they reached the break only one goal to the good. They were then indebted to Glenn Whelan for keeping the lead intact early in the second period.

The Republic or Ireland international was in the right place to clear Kalvin Phillips’s volley off the line, as Leeds began to enjoy their first sustained pressure of the game.

Ronaldo Vieira also drilled a shot inches over the bar from the edge of the box, with Alioski firing further off target soon after.

An increasingly nervous Villa Park crowd wanted a goal and almost got it when Snodgrass found Grabban with a through ball but Peacock-Farrell stood tall to save.

The goalkeeper then used his foot to steer a Grealish cross away from danger, after Bruce had decided to replace Kodjia with Adomah.

Villa’s top scorer was denied his 15th league goal of the campaign by Peacock-Farrell, who again stood tall to save with his legs after Adomah had been put through on goal by a delightful Grealish dink over the top of the Leeds defence.

Bruce introduced Scott Hogan off the bench in place of Grabban and he looked set to put the game beyond doubt when latching onto a Snodgrass flick and racing through on goal.

But the ball would not sit up for him and Leeds defender Matthew Pennington put in a perfectly-timed challenge to take the ball off his toes.

Villa (4-1-4-1): Johnstone, Elmohamady, Chester, Jedinak, Taylor, Whelan, Snodgrass, Grealish, Onomah (Samba 85), Grabban (Hogan 77), Kodjia (Adomah 66) Subs not used: Lansbury, Hourihane, Bree, Bunn (gk).

Leeds (4-4-2): Peacock-Farrell, Dallas, Pennington, O'Connor, Pearce, Vieira, Phillips, Alioski (Grot 66), Hernandez, Roofe (Lasogga 78), Ekuban (Saiz HT) Subs not used: Anita, O’Kane, Struijk, Lonergan (gk).