Struggling Aston Villa picked up their second away win of the Premier League season, securing three vital points in a 2-1 win at Burnley on New Year’s Day, their first league win at Turf Moor since 1936.
Villa thought they had taken an 11th minute lead through a diving header from Jack Grealish but a VAR review found that Wesley’s heel was marginally offside during the move and the goal was over-turned.
It was Wesley who did open the scoring though in the 23rd — the impressive Grealish finding him in the box and the Brazilian swivelled and fired past Nick Pope to give Villa a deserved lead.
Burnley were unusually sloppy in defence and lacking their usual spirit of work-rate and it was no shock when Grealish doubled Villa’s lead four minutes before the break, finishing off a lovely passing move with a confident curling finish.
Sean Dyche made a double substitution at the break with Jay Rodriguez and Johann Berg Gudmundsson introduced and that had the desired effect with the Clarets much more positive.
Rodriguez and Chris Wood both missed good chances before Wood finally found the target with a back post header from an Ashley Westwood cross in the 80th minute but Burnley were unable to force an equaliser.
Villa’s former Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton injured himself attempting to keep out the goal and was carried off the pitch on a stretcher.
