Midlands | Villa produce their best performance of the season so far

Aston Villa 4 - 0 Bournemouth

Villa cruised to their biggest Premier League win of the campaign with a commanding triumph over Bournemouth.

Author | Peter Grainger 

Stadium | Villa Park

Emiliano Buendía opened the scoring just before the half-hour with a superbly struck free-kick from the edge of the area.

Villa doubled their advantage when Morgan Rogers slipped the ball between Alex Jimenez’s legs and found Amadou Onana, who drove a precise low finish into the corner.

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Bournemouth improved after the break and almost halved the deficit when Alex Scott’s deflected effort forced Emiliano Martínez into a smart, backpedalling save.

The visitors were handed a lifeline when Rogers handled Evanilson’s header in the box, but Martínez guessed correctly to his right to deny Antoine Semenyo from the spot, sparking wild celebrations from the Holte End.

Had Semenyo scored, Villa might have faced a nervy finale, yet instead they pulled away. Ross Barkley added a third with a deft header from Lucas Digne’s corner, before Donyell Malen completed the rout by diverting Youri Tielemans’ low shot beyond Djordje Petrovic.

The result lifted Villa to sixth, level on 18 points with Bournemouth but above them, as well as Liverpool and Manchester United, on goal difference.

Iraola’s side lacks a cutting edge on the road

Andoni Iraola has earned widespread praise this season for Bournemouth’s vibrant football and impressive early form. Yet those who follow the Cherries away from home may feel a growing sense of frustration at their inability to turn performances into points on the road.

Bournemouth have now won only one of their last six Premier League away matches, and their lack of ruthlessness was again evident at Villa Park.

Evanilson spurned two clear chances, first heading against the post from a corner before miscontrolling when clean through on goal.

Iraola himself may also reflect on a tactical misjudgement. With his side 2-0 down but beginning to build pressure, he opted to make a triple substitution just after the hour mark.

The changes disrupted Bournemouth’s rhythm, and from there Villa seized control to finish the contest.