Aston Villa maintain strong start with simple win over limp Luton
Unbeaten in five competitive fixtures (W4, D1) heading into this match, Villa were predictably lively from the outset.
A couple of early sighters for Nicolò Zaniolo set the tone for the contest before Thomas Kaminski was called into action to deny Ollie Watkins twice in quick succession.
The writing was very much on the wall, and after 17 minutes of Villa attacks, the hosts had a deserved lead as Douglas Luiz picked out John McGinn, who glided into space and drilled low into the bottom corner.
A drop-off in tempo following the opener helped Luton steady the ship, but with no shots and less than 25% possession in the first half, the Hatters had it all to do after the break.
A one-goal lead may have been somewhat underwhelming considering their first-half dominance, yet Villa fans would have been quietly confident at HT, especially given their 100% record (W5) when scoring first in the PL this season.
Within five minutes of the restart, the hosts took a huge step towards extending that streak, doubling their advantage when substitute Leon Bailey kept Lucas Digne’s cross alive, allowing Moussa Diaby to rifle in a half-volley from close range.
The Hatters looked well off the pace, and with 62 minutes on the clock, Diaby’s run in behind culminated in Tom Lockyer turning into his own net - the fifth time Villa have scored three or more goals at home this season.
As FT approached, the margin of victory was the only thing in question with several opportunities for the hosts going to waste.
Luton bagged a late consolation in bizarre circumstances when an ill-calculated header from Ezri Konsa was unfortunately bundled in by Emiliano Martínez, but that slip-up had no bearing on the result as Villa followed their third continental away game of the season with yet another PL triumph.
Meanwhile, Luton slip into the drop zone having picked up only one league victory (W1, D2, L6) this campaign whilst remaining the only PL side yet to keep a clean sheet.
Flashscore Man of the Match: John McGinn (Aston Villa)
