Burnley 1 Aston Villa 3 - Report

Goals from Danny Ings, Emi Buendia and Ollie Watkins saw Steven Gerrard's team ease to a victory and halt the Clarets’ recent revival

Ings opened the scoring after latching on to Buendia’s pass with the latter then doubling the advantage just past the half-hour mark.

Watkins then added the third early in the second half with Max Cornet netting a consolation for the home side in stoppage time.

Analysis

That goal was the only blot on one of Villa’s most impressive performances of the season, as they saw off a Burnley team which had taken 10 points from the previous four matches.

Watkins’ goal saw the striker hit double figures in the Premier League this season but it was Buendia who starred with arguably his most complete performance since becoming Villa’s club record signing last summer.

In addition to netting his third goal of the campaign, the playmaker was heavily involved in the moves for his team’s other two strikes as he fully justified the manager’s decision to hand him a first start since March 19.

The absence of Jacob Ramsey due to a groin injury prompted Gerrard into a midfield reshuffle which saw Douglas Luiz return to the team and Calum Chambers moved up from defence.

And it was a system which worked to great effect as they produced one of their most ruthless attacking displays of the campaign.

The victory was Villa’s second in succession and saw them climb to 11th at the final whistle, maintaining momentum ahead of Tuesday’s visit of title-chasing Liverpool.

With Chambers pushed forward, Gerrard also gave a recall to Ezri Konsa and it was the defender’s header which began a move for the opener which featured all four of those players returning to the XI.

Burnley had been given a warning as early as the fourth minute when Buendia flicked Lucas Digne’s long ball into the path of Ings, who ended up curling a rather tame effort wide of the post.

Soon after he made no mistake, running on to Buendia’s defence-splitting pass and sliding a finish under Pope to finish a sharp team move which also featured John McGinn and Luiz.

It was Ings’ seventh Premier League goal of the season and the fourth consecutive match against the Clarets in which he has netted.

Ashley Barnes fired hurriedly over for the home side as they looked for a quick response but it was Villa looking comfortable and threatening and Buendia should have doubled the lead midway through the half.

A poor header by James Tarkowski left Pope under pressure and the keeper could only clear as far as Buendia 25 yards out. But with the goal gaping, the Argentine was unable to make a clean connection and the shot bobbled into the box with the recovering keeper able to collect.

Burnley began to threaten with Wout Weghorst sending two efforts just wide of Emi Martinez’s goal, the second a looping header which the keeper watched sail beyond the post.

But just past the half-hour mark Villa went further ahead with another well-worked move.

Matty Cash’s deep cross from the right wing found Watkins, who exchanged passes with Ings before laying off for Digne to cross low, Buendia's side-footed finish taking a flick off Tarkowski's boot to deceive Pope.

At that point the two-goal advantage was deserved but Burnley should have pulled at least one back before the break, McNeil shooting straight at Martinez when clean through after Konsa had lost possession in a tangle with Weghorst.

The hosts were dealt a blow when skipper James Tarkowski was forced off within seconds of the restart and their afternoon got even worse when Watkins made it three.

Having gone close just minutes before with a shot which was deflected past the post, Villa’s top scorer made no mistake with a diving header from McGinn’s cross which went between the legs of Pope.

Burnley looked bereft and Villa smelled blood, Cash forcing a sharp near post save from Pope after powering his way into the box.

A fourth goal never arrived but the visitors were in cruise control until substitute Cornet added a consolation for the home side in stoppage time.

Analysis

7 GOAL Villa ahead. Danny Ings slides home his seventh Premier League goal of the season after latching on to Buendia’s pass.

31 GOAL Buendia grabs his third goal of the season, side-footing home Lucas Digne’s low cross after a well-worked Villa move.

52 GOAL Villa get a third, Ollie Watkins sending a header between Nick Pope’s legs after meeting John McGinn’s cross.

90+1 GOAL Maxwel Cornet adds a late consolation for the home side in stoppage time.

Teams

Burnley (4-4-2); Pope, Roberts, Collins, Tarkowski (Long 47), Taylor, Lennon (Cornet 66), Brownhill, Cork, McNeil, Weghorst, Barnes (Pieters 72) Subs not used: Lowton, Stephens, Bardsley, Thomas, Costelloe, Hennessey (gk).

Villa (4-3-1-2): Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, McGinn, Chambers (Chukwuemeka 68), Luiz, Buendia (Coutinho 79), Ings (Young 74), Watkins Subs not used: Sanson, Traore, Nakamba, Iroegbunam, Feeney, Olsen (gk).