Burnley 1-3 Aston Villa

Matty Cash marked his 100th appearance for Aston Villa with a brace to help secure an impressive 3-1 victory at Burnley.

The Poland international, operating in right midfield, slid home to convert Ollie Watkins’ ball across the face of goal in the eighth minute and put the Villans in command early on at Turf Moor.

And Cash doubled his tally shortly afterwards, registering his first goals for the club since May 2022, as he played a one-two with Moussa Diaby before lashing home.

The Clarets applied pressure at the start of the second half and reduced Villa’s lead through Lyle Foster, but Diaby’s second Premier League goal for the club, sweeping home Lucas Digne’s pass from 18 yards wrapped up all three points.

It capped a superb week for Unai Emery’s side as they secured three successive wins and two clean sheets, scoring a stunning 12 goals in the process, following a 4-0 triumph over Everton last weekend and a 5-0 victory at Hibernian in midweek.

It was also a first away win in the league in six matches on the road, as Villa secured a third triumph in their last four visits to Burnley.

Robin Olsen was named in Villa’s starting line-up, making his first Premier League start since New Year’s Day as Emi Martínez struggled to overcome a minor calf complaint.

Cash also returned to Villa’s XI as boss Emery made two changes from Wednesday’s success at Hibs in the first leg of the club’s UEFA Europa Conference League play-off.

And it was the 26-year-old who opened the scoring with just eight minutes on the clock.

Captain John McGinn lifted the ball over the top for a surging Watkins, whose touch drew out Clarets keeper James Trafford and, from a tight angle, he did superbly well to square across goal for a sliding Cash to convert at the back post.

And he duly registered his and Villa’s second just 12 minutes later, finding Diaby down the right before continuing into the penalty area, receiving the ball back and firing a superb finish beyond a helpless Trafford.

Villa were looking dangerous going forward as Watkins and Diaby constantly threatened to get in behind.

It was just before the break when Burnley first seriously threatened, Zeki Amdouni creating space and drilling over the crossbar from distance as the visitors held a two-goal lead going into half-time.

But it was a rejuvenated Clarets side who emerged for the second half and they reduced the arrears within two minutes of the restart, substitute Johann Gudmundsson heading back for Foster to turn and send a strike beyond Olsen.

Villa were having to dig deep under pressure and Foster’s header forced a full-stretch save from Olsen just before the hour.

And the stop proved crucial as Villa restored their two-goal advantage moments later.

McGinn did superbly to turn under pressure in the middle of the park and find Digne, whose pass was swept home first time by Diaby on the edge of the area.

Watkins was thwarted by Trafford before Nicolò Zaniolo was introduced for his Villa bow in the 73^rd minute, almost making an immediate impact as he broke free down the right channel before being denied.

Cash came within inches of his hat-trick before Zaniolo again came close to marking his debut with a goal as he attempted a strike from distance, with Villa running out 3-1 victors in Lancashire.