Norwich City 0-2 Aston Villa

Jacob Ramsey’s stunning solo strike inspired Aston Villa to victory against Norwich City at Carrow Road in the Premier League on Tuesday night.

The homegrown midfielder embarked on a driving run from the halfway line into the penalty area before lashing the ball past Tim Krul after 34 minutes.

A dominant Villa created chances throughout the game, eventually killing the contest off when Ollie Watkins tapped home substitute Carney Chukwuemka’s cross late on.

And a second away clean sheet of the season ensured the three points would be heading back to The Midlands as Villa moved into the top ten.

The last time Villa ventured to Norfolk, Dean Smith was in charge of a side that dismantled the Canaries 5-1 in October 2019. Now in the opposition dugout, Smith watched his new team’s defensive vulnerabilities tested early on when Watkins planted a header on target.

Krul, who dealt with that effort easily, was scrambling minutes later when John McGinn took aim from long distance, sending in a dipping effort that the Dutch ‘keeper barely managed to tip over as he backpedalled.

The visitors’ sharp passing and incisive movement was causing the hosts problems every time they came forward, with former Norwich man Emiliano Buendia pulling the strings in the final third.

And after probing without success for 34 minutes, Villa finally got their reward when Ramsey produced a spectacular strike to score his second Premier League goal.

The midfielder picked the ball up on the halfway line and with no support around him, drove quickly at two yellow shirts before breaking into the box, cutting onto his left foot and slamming the ball in at the near post.

Ramsey ran behind the goal and off to celebrate with the travelling fans, who almost had a second goal to celebrate when McGinn’s corner almost swung straight into the net.

After a quiet first half, Emiliano Martínez was suddenly under threat at the start of the second when Ashley Young’s under-hit back pass allowed Kenny McLean to steal in, with the goalkeeper relieved to see the Norwich forward poke the ball wide.

Villa were soon back on the attack with McGinn at the heart of the move once again, curling a ball to the back post where a waiting Watkins headed straight at Krul.

Danny Ings was Steven Gerrard’s first change of the night, replacing Young, and the forward set about maintaining the press that had seen the away side win the ball back early and often.

On one such occasion when McGinn won the ball high up the pitch, Villa streamed forward looking for a killer second goal, with Buendia denied by a last-ditch block.

Chukwuemeka replaced Buendia after 83 minutes, and it took the youngster a matter of minutes before he got into the Norwich box and pulled a ball back for Watkins to tap home.

The goal wrapped up a well-deserved win for the Villans, who were well received by the vocal travelling fans at the final whistle.