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BIRMINGHAM: Two goals from Douglas Luiz helped a rampant Aston Villa to a 4-1 victory over West Ham United and moved the Midlands club into fifth spot in the Premier League on Sunday, within two points of the lead.
Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey were also on target as Unai Emery’s men recorded an 11th consecutive home Premier League win.
Villa have been transformed in just over a year since Emery took charge and showed why they harbour ambitions to qualify for the Champions League for the first time this season.
Luiz is just one of a number of players that are performing at a different level under the Spaniard and continued his scoring streak at Villa Park.
The Brazilian became the first Villa player to score in six consecutive home Premier League games when his strike from the edge of the box had too much power for Alphonse Areola in the West Ham goal on 30 minutes.
Luiz doubled his side’s advantage from the penalty spot early in the second period after Edson Alvarez tripped Ezri Konsa.
Jarrod Bowen reduced West Ham’s arrears just five minutes later when his shot spun off Pau Torres into the far corner for his 100th career goal.
However, any hope of a Hammers’ fightback was snuffed out by the in-form Watkins, who struck with an exquisite finish after a counter-attack. Bailey came off the bench to put the icing on the cake with a superb fourth late on after cutting in from the right.
High-flying Villa are unbeaten in five league games and have 19 points from nine games, one point outside the top four but within striking distance of leaders Manchester City. West Ham are in ninth place on 14 points.
On Saturday, Manchester United beat Sheffield United 2-1 on an emotionally charged evening as the Premier League giants said a “big goodbye” to club great Bobby Charlton, who died earlier in the day.
Charlton’s family announced that the England World Cup winner, who enjoyed a glittering career with United, had “passed peacefully in the early hours of Saturday morning” at the age of 86.
United’s players paid a moving tribute to Charlton before kick-off against bottom club Sheffield in the late game at Bramall Lane.
Captain Bruno Fernandes laid a wreath and a picture of the former attacking midfielder was displayed on a giant screen, while the fans chanted Charlton’s name during the match.
United midfielder Scott McTominay put his side ahead and after Sheffield’s Ollie McBurnie equalised with a penalty, Diogo Dalot sealed victory with a fine strike 13 minutes from time to lift his side to eighth in the table.
Elsewhere, Chelsea looked on course for their first statement result of the Mauricio Pochettino era as they led Arsenal 2-0 at Stamford Bridge but had to settle for a 2-2 draw.
Chelsea produced one of their best performance since the arrival of Pochettino and led through a 15th-minute Cole Palmer penalty and an effort just after halftime by Ukraine’s Mykhailo Mudryk.
But Declan Rice gave Arsenal a lifeline in the 77th minute before substitute Leandro Trossard equalised from a cross by Bukayo Saka to maintain Arsenal’s unbeaten start, although they failed to move top of the table and are behind City on goal difference despite both sides having 21 points.