Ezri Konsa’s header secured a 1-0 victory over resilient 10-man Sheffield United as Aston Villa started their 2020/21 Premier League season with all three points.
The centre-back nodded home his third goal for the club just after the hour mark to settle an eventful encounter at Villa Park.
Blades captain John Egan saw red after 12 minutes for denying a goalscoring opportunity, holding back Ollie Watkins, while debutant Emi Martinez saved a first-half penalty from John Lundstram.
It proved crucial as the Villans went on to continue their winning start to the campaign, coming after a Carabao Cup triumph over Burton Albion, and in the process claiming a third successive Premier League win on home soil for the first time since 2007.
Summer signings Martinez, Watkins and Matty Cash were all included in Villa’s starting XI.
And the hosts started positively before the game’s crucial moment as Egan saw red for the visitors, with Dean Smith’s side going on to dominate.
But it was the Blades who had the clearest opportunity of the first half after 36 minutes when Matt Targett was adjudged to have upended Chris Basham in the penalty area.
However, Martinez capped a memorable debut as he dived to his left to parry away Lundstram’s effort.
Villa continued their dominance after the restart and finally got their reward in the 63rd minute.
Tyrone Mings, who penned a contract extension earlier in the day, flicked on Matt Targett’s corner and Konsa headed home across goal at the far post.
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Villa pushed for a second, captain Jack Grealish and John McGinn going close, but they held firm to secure a deserved triumph.
Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett, McGinn, Luiz, Hourihane (Davis 62), Trezeguet, Watkins, Grealish (c).
Subs: Steer, Elmohamady, Taylor, Hause, Nakamba, El Ghazi.
