Anwar El Ghazi’s brace helped dominant Aston Villa claim a deserved 3-0 victory over midlands neighbours West Bromwich Albion.
El Ghazi’s well-taken fifth-minute finish from Matty Cash’s deep cross put the visitors firmly in control at The Hawthorns, with the Baggies reduced to 10 men in the 36th minute as Jake Livermore was sent off.
Ollie Watkins saw a strike ruled out for offside by VAR before Bertrand Traore’s first Premier League goal for the club, a coolly taken effort from the edge of the penalty area, doubled the advantage in the 84th minute.
El Ghazi then grabbed his second of the night from the spot after influential captain Jack Grealish was fouled in the area, recording his third goal in three games.
The Dutchman’s double, coming after his matchwinner at Molineux last weekend, ensures Villa have now claimed local bragging rights over both Albion and Wolves in the space of a week.
Villa’s first win at West Brom since 2008 means they have won five of their six away matches this season, registering a seventh clean sheet in the process, and rounds off a super week which has seen them collect seven points from a possible nine.
Cash and Douglas Luiz returned from suspension as Dean Smith made two changes to Villa’s starting XI from Thursday night’s goalless draw against Burnley.
And despite drawing a blank in midweek, the Villans needed just five minutes to open the scoring as El Ghazi poked home Traore’s deep cross at the far post.
Watkins headed over from Cash’s cross as Villa continued to dominate in the opening quarter, with Albion reduced to 10 men when Livermore was shown red for a foul on Grealish.
And the visitors remained in control until the break, starting again on the front foot after the restart as El Ghazi and Grealish tested Sam Johnstone before John McGinn headed narrowly wide.
Watkins forced the Baggies keeper into another smart save just after the hour mark before being denied by VAR in the 72nd minute as his close-range finish from Cash’s cross was ruled out for offside.
Johnstone got down well to deny El Ghazi as Villa continued to apply pressure in search of a second goal.
And they got it when Grealish fed Traore and he went clean through before calmly slotting low into the corner from the edge of the box.
El Ghazi then grabbed his second of the night from the penalty spot in the 88th minute, repeating his heroics from 2018 when he also bagged a brace against the Baggies.
And he could have had a hat-trick but for a brilliant reaction save from Johnstone as Villa sealed all three points.
Villa: Martinez, Cash, Hause, Mings, Targett, Luiz, McGinn, Traore, Grealish (c), El Ghazi, Watkins.
Subs: Steer, Taylor, Guilbert, Engels, Elmohamady, Nakamba, Ramsey, Hourihane, Davis.
