Aston Villa suffered their first Premier League defeat of the season as Leeds United left Villa Park with all three points on Friday night.
Jack Grealish had a shot cleared off the line in a goalless first half before Patrick Bamford took over in the second period.
The striker scored a 20-minute hat-trick as the visitors ruthlessly punished Villa time and again.
Defeat brought the club’s eight-match unbeaten league run to an end, but the Villans head into the weekend in second place after their bright start to the campaign.
Dean Smith named the same starting XI for the third game in a row, hoping his side could continue their winning run against the top-flight new boys.
But two wins, a draw and two defeats had seen Marcelo Bielsa’s team climb to tenth in the table, and they made the early running at Villa Park, with Bamford flashing a header narrowly wide after just four minutes.
Illan Meslier had been relatively untested in the Leeds goal up until the 26th minute when the goalkeeper was beaten by Grealish’s drive.
However, visiting captain Luke Ayling had retreated to the goalline and was able to hack the ball clear moments before it crossed the line.
Villa were dominating the contest as the clock ticked towards half-time, but they almost headed back to the dressing rooms behind after Bamford spurned another golden chance.
After getting in front of Ezri Konsa, the striker side-footed Jack Harrison’s cross wide when well-placed eight yards from goal.
Grealish has started the season in a rich vein of form, and at the start of the second half he almost broke the deadlock with a moment of magic.
The Villa skipper ran from the edge of his penalty box, saw off two Leeds defenders and broke into the away side’s penalty area before jinking his way across goal and forcing Meslier into a sharp save.
The missed opportunity would prove costly for the Villans as Leeds snatched the lead after 54 minutes, with Bamford sweeping home after Emiliano Martinez had parried Rodrigo’s shot.
It was the first time Villa had trailed in the league this term, and their task was made even harder when Bamford doubled his tally with a fine strike from the edge of the box.
Leeds were rampant, and they made sure of all three points when Bamford clinically picked out the top corner to complete his treble with 15 minutes left.
Watkins had a great chance to pull one back in the closing minutes, but he dragged his shot wide from a narrow angle.
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett, McGinn, Luiz, Barkley, Trezeguet (Traore 66'), Watkins, Grealish (c).
Unused subs: Steer, Elmohamady, Nakamba, Hourihane, Davis, Engels.
