Aston Villa extended their run of consecutive home wins in the Premier League to 12 with a convincing triumph against Luton Town. The home side were in the ascendency from the off, seeing chances for Nicolò Zaniolo and Ollie Watkins go begging before John McGinn netted the opener after 17 minutes.
It stayed 1-0 until four minutes into the second half when Moussa Diaby was in the right place to thrash home his third goal of the season. More great work from the French winger led to Tom Lockyer putting through his own goal just past the hour mark.
At the other end, the clean sheet was taken away from Emi Martínez inside the final ten minutes when Ezri Konsa’s header rebounded off the crossbar and hit him before rolling over the line.
The hosts’ run of 11 consecutive home wins in the Premier League had seen Villa outscore their opponents by an aggregate score of 31-5, and they went on the hunt for an early goal against the Hatters.
Four minutes were on the clock when Diaby advanced down the right and played a ball into the middle, where Watkins flicked the ball up for an onrushing Zaniolo, who sidefooted narrowly wide.
The visitors were indebted to a tremendous double save by Thomas Kaminski from Watkins soon after when the striker looked destined to tap home Matty Cash’s cross. Luton were trapped inside their own half and were unable to hold out beyond the 17th minute when McGinn put Villa in front.
Douglas Luiz picked his captain out on the edge of the box from a free-kick and the Scot shaped to shoot with his left foot before dragging the ball onto his right and firing a low shot into the far corner.
The chances dried up following the goal before the home side threatened late in the half, with Luton putting bodies on the line to ensure they trailed by only one goal at the break.
Leon Bailey, who netted against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday, replaced Zaniolo for the second half, and the winger played a part as Villa doubled their lead on 49 minutes. Lucas Digne’s whipped cross was met at the back post by Bailey, with the ball popping up to Diaby, who thrashed the ball into the bottom corner.
Villa were in the mood for more and duly grabbed a third when Diaby raced onto Boubacar Kamara’s lofted through ball and steered it goalwards, leaving Town captain Lockyer to put through his own net.
Bailey placed a shot just wide as the hosts searched for a fourth, with McGinn later miscuing when well placed in the box.
Despite not registering a shot on target, Luton pulled one back when Konsa’s attempted header back to Martínez looped over the goalkeeper and hit the crossbar before rebounding off the Argentine and going in.
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