Aston Villa 3-0 AFC Bournemouth

Aston Villa secured a 3-0 victory over AFC Bournemouth courtesy of goals from Douglas Luiz, Jacob Ramsey and Emi Buendía.

Luiz swept home Leon Bailey’s seventh-minute cross from close range to hand the hosts an early lead before Ramsey and Buendía made sure of the points in the latter stages – ensuring Unai Emery’s side recorded back-to-back wins at Villa Park and moved four matches unbeaten.

In-form Ollie Watkins, with six goals in his previous seven appearances, twice came close to adding to the advantage, as did Ramsey and Tyrone Mings, while VAR twice ruled in favour of Cherries defender Jack Stephens for potential handball.

At the other end, Emi Martínez made an excellent fingertip save from Dominic Solanke’s free-kick while Mings produced a superb block to deny the Cherries striker and help secure a vital clean sheet.

Victory was a first on home soil over Bournemouth in the Premier League era, ending a run of four successive defeats against the south-coast outfit to head into the international break on a high.

Head coach Emery named an unchanged starting line-up and matchday 20 from the side who played out a 1-1 draw against West Ham United last Sunday.

And it was the hosts who got off to a dream start after just seven minutes.

Watkins’ attempted shot was deflected out towards Bailey, who got to the byline and crossed low for Luiz to convert from five yards and register his fourth goal of the season.

The visitors searched for an immediate response and almost pounced on a defensive error before Philip Billing also headed over the crossbar.

Solanke stung the palms of Martínez midway through the first half while Watkins was thwarted by Cherries goalkeeper Neto at the other end having been sent through by Buendía.

A flowing move resulted in Ramsey sending Álex Moreno’s cross off target shortly after the half hour, before a well-worked corner routine saw the Villa midfielder’s strike deflected narrowly over by a lunging Stephens, with VAR ruling the Cherries defender did not use his arm in the process.

Moreno tested Neto early in the second period before Watkins did likewise moments later as the home side started on the front foot.

Luiz’s header forced an outstretched save from the Cherries stopper in the 57^th minute, with opposite number Martínez producing a superb one-handed stop to tip over Billing’s free-kick shortly afterwards.

Emery turned to substitute Bertrand Traoré down the right channel to freshen up Villa’s attacking options, Stephens getting away with another VAR check for potential handball.

The clash was flowing from end to end and Solanke fired into the side-netting before Mings then raced back to deny the Bournemouth No.9 with a superb sliding block as he raced clean through.

But Villa took control of the encounter in the 80^th minute as Ramsey latched on to Watkins’ header to fire past Neto.

Watkins and Mings forced fantastic saves from Neto as Villa threatened to register further reward.

And they did just that in the 89^th minute as Buendía nodded home Mings’ flick-on from a corner to claim his fifth goal of the campaign and put the gloss on a perfect afternoon for the Villans.