Aston Villa led twice but ultimately found themselves on the losing side against Burnley at Turf Moor on Wednesday night.
The Villans dominated the first 45 minutes and should have had more to show at half-time than Ollie Watkins’ 14th minute strike.
After Ben Mee had equalised early in the second half, Jack Grealish restored the lead with the goal that his performance deserved.
But Burnley fought back to take all three points and leave the away side empty-handed, with goals from Dwight McNeil and Chris Wood doing the damage.
Turf Moor had seen fewer goals scored than any other Premier League ground this season (13), but the early indications were that Villa had the firepower to breach the home side’s defences.
An unmarked Ezri Konsa headed over from a corner before Watkins tested Nick Pope for the first time after running in behind the Clarets’ backline.
And as the game reached the 14th minute, a flowing Villa move resulted in the opener, with Watkins deftly flicking Matt Targett’s pinpoint cross past Pope.
Confidence was flowing through the Villans as they worked their way towards the Burnley goal time and time again, with Bertrand Traoré and Grealish both stinging the palms of Pope.
Scoring goals has been the hosts’ main problem this term and as the game ticked towards half-time, they had only a couple of wayward Robbie Brady efforts to show for their endeavours.
Burnley’s major concern was keeping Villa out as the visitors pushed for a second before the break, and they had the crossbar to thank for denying Ross Barkley after Pope had saved from Watkins one-on-one.
Dean Smith’s men enjoyed 63% possession and fired 11 shots in the first 45 minutes, but their good work was undone within seven minutes of the restart when Mee climbed highest to plant a header past Emiliano Martinez.
For the first time in the game, Villa were flat and in need of a spark. Step forward skipper Grealish, who embarked on a scintillating run from inside his own half, beating three defenders before breaking into the box and forcing Pope into a good save.
Martinez had conceded a goal without being needed to make a save, but that all changed when he flung himself to his right to deny Wood’s drive.
Grealish, who had gone eight games without finding the back of the net, was in fine form, and he got the goal his display warranted to put Villa back in front, tapping home Luiz’s driven cross.
The lead would only last for seven minutes, however, as McNeil’s cross evaded everyone and nestled in the bottom corner.
Things got worse for Villa minutes later as Wood planted a header past the despairing Martinez to give Burnley the lead for the first time - a goal that proved too much for the away side to overcome.
Villa: Martínez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett, Luiz (Davis 88'), McGinn, Traoré (El Ghazi 82'), Barkley (Trezeguet 82'), Grealish, Watkins.
Unused subs: Heaton, Taylor, Nakamba, Engels, Elmohamady, Ramsey.
