Aston Villa were beaten by Southampton at Villa Park on Sunday afternoon - despite a late rally.
The visitors started fastest and after Che Adams had a goal disallowed for offside, Jannik Vestergaard headed them into the lead after 20 minutes.
James Ward-Prowse curled home a free-kick to extend their advantage before he repeated the trick to make it 3-0 on the stroke of half-time.
Danny Ings picked out the top corner with a sublime effort in the second half before Tyrone Mings pulled one back for the Villans.
Saints ‘keeper Alex McCarthy made a number of great saves to preserve his side’s advantage before Ollie Watkins scored a stoppage time penalty and Jack Grealish fired home with the final kick of the game.
Looking to rebound after their first defeat of the league season against Leeds last time out, Villa were picking the ball out of their net after only three minutes when Adams deflected the ball in at the back post.
Thankfully for the hosts, a VAR check revealed the striker was marginally offside when fellow forward Ings headed the ball into his path from a corner.
Ward-Prowse’s set-piece deliveries were causing havoc, and it was a beautiful outswinging ball that invited Vestergaard to power home the opener after 20 minutes.
Bertrand Traore was making his first league start for Villa, but it lasted only 28 minutes before an injury forced him off, with Trezeguet replacing him.
Southampton’s creator became the scorer after 32 minutes, curling a sublime free-kick beyond the dive of Emiliano Martinez.
A handball by Matty Cash on the stroke of half-time handed the Saints skipper another dead ball opportunity from the edge of the box, and he duly sent another dipping strike into the back of the net.
Ings’ form for Saints has earned him international recognition with England, and he furthered his reputation with a stunning strike just before the hour mark.
The striker picked the ball up on the left-hand side before cutting inside Cash and sending an arrowed effort into the top corner.
Villa had rarely threatened McCarthy in the visitors’ goal before Mings connected with Grealish’s cross and flicked a header past him after 62 minutes.
The goal breathed life into Villa, and they would have reduced the deficit further if it wasn’t for two excellent saves by McCarthy from Trezeguet and Mings again.
However, the ‘keeper could do nothing to stop Watkins’ injury time spot kick after Grealish had been felled in the box.
And as time wound down, the Villa skipper cut inside and buried a low shot with the last action on the game.
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash (Elmohamady 67'), Konsa, Mings, Targett, McGinn, Luiz, Barkley, Traore (Trezeguet 29'), Watkins, Grealish (c).
Unused subs: Steer, Nakamba, Hourihane, Davis, Engels.
