Aston Villa Climb Out of Relegation Zone With Crucial 2-1 Win Over Burnley

A Jack Grealish inspired Aston Villa moved out of the Premier League's bottom three after recording a crucial 2-1 away win over Burnley at Turf Moor.

The Villa skipper was instrumental in the victory, assisting Wesley for the first and scoring the second to give the visitors a comfortable 2-0 first-half lead.

A late goal from Burnley's Chris Wood provided a nervy finish for the visitors but they held out to climb to 16th in the ​Premier League table.

​Villa didn't look like a team who'd suffered a 3-0 defeat to ​Watford in their last away game and with a new 3-4-3 system, they took the game to their hosts.

Dean Smith's side thought they had scored early when Grealish nodded home an Ezri Konsa cross for what appeared a perfectly good goal. 

But, just as 2019 had ended in VAR controversy, 2020 started in the same fashion as a fraction of striker Wesley's heel was adjudged to be offside in the build-up.

However, Villa were soon in front. Wesley played a one-two with Grealish before chesting the ball down and volleying through Nick Pope's legs in the Burnley goal. 

It was quickly 2-0 as Grealish netted his sixth goal of the season. Douglas Luiz found Villa's star man who jinked inside before unleashing a fierce shot past Pope. 

​Burnley made a double change after the break and should have immediately halved Villa's lead but from four yards striker Jay Rodriguez somehow blazed over.

The Clarets were on the up and with little over 10 minutes to play, Chris Wood reduced the arrears heading home Ashley Westwood's cross at the back post.

Villa keeper Tom Heaton suffered an injury in the goal and was stretchered off, but Smith's men saw out the game to seal only their second away league win of the season and move two points outside the relegation zone.