Aston Villa 3 Bournemouth 0 - Report

Douglas Luiz gave the hosts a perfect cross when he turned home Leon Bailey’s seventh minute cross.

Villa were denied a penalty when Jack Stephens appeared to handle Jacob Ramsey’s shot but the latter doubled the lead with 10 minutes to go.

Emi Buendia then added further gloss when he nodded home as the relentless hosts pushed for more.

Analysis

The three-goal margin of victory bettered the 3-1 win over Manchester United in Emery’s first match in charge and came with Villa’s best home performance since that day.

Though Bournemouth arrived in the Premier League’s bottom three, they did so fresh from a 1-0 win over Liverpool.

Yet a Villa win rarely looked in doubt from the moment Luiz fired them ahead with his third Premier League goal of the season.

Ollie Watkins, who missed out on an England call-up during the week, was involved in the build-up to that and Ramsey’s goal and while he did not net himself, the fact goals came from other sources was another plus for Emery.

Villa have now taken 26 points from 14 matches since he took charge on November 1 and while they may be outsiders in the race for Europe, neither can they be discounted if they continue to produce performances like this.

With Philippe Coutinho, Leander Dendoncker and Boubacar Kamara still missing through injury, Emery named an unchanged starting XI.

That meant Bailey kept his place despite a poor run of form and an early slip, just as he was about to pull trigger on a Watkins pass, did not augur well.

But a couple of minutes later the Jamaica international laid on Villa’s opener. Watkins’ shot from the left of the box was deflected into his path and with a quick burst Bailey reached the byline, crossing low for Luiz to tap home inside the six yard box.

The visitors had barely touched the ball at that point but were almost gifted a leveller when John McGinn attempted one risky pass too many and the lurking Jaidon Anthony was inches away from turning the ball into an empty net on the slide.

Villa were causing problems every time they raised the tempo in attack. A one-touch move released Buendia in space and his through pass for Bailey was only cut out by the slightest of touches from defender Stephens.

Buendia was again the creator just before the half-hour mark when he latched onto Bailey’s flick and played Watkins through on goal. The striker went for the lobbed finish but the keeper stood tall and the shot bounced off his chest and away.

By then the visitors had also threatened through Dominic Solanke, who snuck in behind Ezri Konsa to collect a lofted pass before drilling a finish which Martinez kept out at his near post.

But it was Villa who still looked the more threatening and the visitors were fortunate VAR Stuart Attwell opted not to award a penalty when Stephens, diving in, deflected Jacob Ramsey’s goalbound drive over the bar with a trailing arm.

The hosts started the second half with the same intent they had the first, Watkins twisting and turning and bringing a smart save out of Neto at his near post. Bournemouth’s keeper also needed to be alert to hold a Luiz header from Bailey’s cross.

The visitors looked short on ideas but did draw a save from Martinez when Lerma was brought down on the edge of the box and the keeper was forced to tip over Philip Billing’s well-struck free-kick.

Solanke, after firing a shot into the side netting, then had a golden chance to level when sent clear but delaying the finish proved costly as Mings, racing back, was able to slide in and deflect the shot wide. Villa broke from the resulting corner and Bertrand Traore, who had replaced Bailey off the bench, saw his own effort go wide off a defender.

Bournemouth were enjoying their best spell and referee Jones was again waving away penalty appeals when Solanke tumbled in the box under pressure from Konsa.

Yet with 10 minutes remaining, Ramsey removed any nerves from the occasion with his first goal since November. Watkins was hauled down by Stephens near halfway and from the free-kick, headed the ball into Ramsey’s path. The midfielder ghosted past Stephens before forcing a right-footed finish under Neto.

From there it was just a case of how many Villa would win by. Neto brilliantly denied Watkins and then Mings but had no chance when the latter flicked on a Luiz corner for Buendia to nod home from a yard out.

Key Moments

7 GOAL A bright start from Villa is rewarded with a goal. Douglas Luiz taps home Leon Bailey’s low cross.

80 GOAL Jacob Ramsey doubles Villa’s lead, ghosting past Jack Stephens before firing low under Neto.

89 GOAL Emi Buendia makes it three, heading home from close range at a corner.

Teams

Villa (4-4-2): Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Moreno, Bailey (Traore 65), Luiz, McGinn (Chambers 90+1), Ramsey, Buendia (Buendia 90+1), Watkins Subs not used: Digne, Young, Carlos, Sinisalo (gk), Olsen (gk).

Bournemouth (4-4-1-1): Neto, Smith, Stephens, Senesi, Kelly, Outtara (Moore 90+1), Rothwell (Traore 59), Lerma, Anthony (Semenyo 59), Billing (Vina 90+1), Solanke Subs not used: Cook, Mepham, Brooks, Christie, Travers (gk).