A Villa 3 – 1 Luton – MyCyberBase

Aston Villa extended their winning run at home in the Premier League to 12 games as they comfortably beat Luton 3-1 on Sunday.

Villa dominated from start to finish with John McGinn’s opener after 11 minutes setting the tone. Luton were always second best as Moussa Diaby doubled Villa’s lead early in the second half before forcing an own goal from the visiting captain Tom Lockyer.

Luton’s goal was a comical error from Villa as Ezri Konsa’s headed back pass struck the bar and bounced in off the head of his goalkeeper Emi Martinez. Rob Edwards’ side, who have still not kept a clean sheet in 10 league games this season, improved after the goal but could not make it a nervy ending for the hosts.

Villa’s fifth win in six league games takes them to within four points of first-placed Tottenham. Luton, meanwhile, remain in the relegation zone after their seventh defeat in 10 league games this season.

How Villa strolled past Luton

Villa were brimming with confidence ahead of the visit of Luton after beating AZ Alkmaar 4-1 in the Europa Conference League in the Netherlands on Thursday. They also had not lost at home since being beaten by Arsenal in February last season.

Emery’s side came out with a swagger and took charge of the game from the off. Nicolo Zaniolo should have scored after a sumptuous flick by Watkins four minutes in but fired wide of the target.

Watkins thought he had found the breakthrough after 11 minutes only to be kept out by a double save from Luton goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski. Luton were chasing shadows and it was only a matter of time before they would concede.

McGinn, who scored on Thursday in Europe, found the net again after a short free-kick found him in space on the edge of the box. His right-foot shoot nestled in the bottom corner after going through a sea of Luton legs. Rob Edwards was furious that his side had conceded such a simple goal.

They failed to register a single shot in the first half as Villa took their foot off the gas and managed the game. Luton’s only promising moment was a low cross from Chiedozie Ogbene trying to find Morris that was cut out by Villa goalkeeper Martinez.

Emery brought on Leon Bailey at half-time which reinvigorated Villa. The substitute set up Diaby for a sweetly-struck half-volley after 49 minutes as the Spaniard’s tactical tweak had an immediate impact. Luton were unable to cope with the quality of the hosts, who would soon be out of sight.

Villa’s third was all too easy as a simple ball over the top found Diaby, whose squared cross was then turned into the Luton goal by their captain, Lockyer.

Luton could only score through a Villa mistake as Martinez was unfortunate to see the ball go in off his head after a headed back pass from Konsa. The visitors kept fighting but did not have the quality to add a second and make life uncomfortable for Villa.

Emery backs Villa to be top-four contenders

“You have to be very demanding and focus each on match,” Villa boss Emery said after the game.

“We are winning matches because we are being very focused, we are being very demanding in our defensive structure, we are trying to build a team with high commitment.

“We are between another seven teams, they show their power consistently. But if we are working like that and doing this process, being demanding, being strong, of course we can progress and still keep the moment we have now in the table.

“I want to face each match being focused, preparing properly and being demanding.

“We have played Liverpool and Newcastle and they were better than us. When we lost against Liverpool and Newcastle, I told the players I want to reduce the distance they showed when they come here.

“There is still a lot of work to do and still a lot of things we can improve.

“Tactically, try to be more consistent for 90 minutes. I am very happy but I think there are things that can improve.”

Edwards: There was a big gulf in quality

Luton boss Edwards said: “Let’s be honest, today was a difficult afternoon for us. There is a gulf between the two teams, at the moment Aston Villa are an exceptional team, in a great moment, confident, brilliant manager and very good players. At 3-0 down with 30 minutes to go I’m on the touchline thinking, ‘This is difficult’.

“I’m really pleased with how the players stayed in it, stayed committed, that was important. It’s important the fans can see we never ever give in and stick at it.

“It was a difficult afternoon but proud of how we stuck to the task.

“Today wasn’t going to define us, we know that, we are in a different battle to Aston Villa at the moment, there is a difference in the teams, but we have to learn from it.

“I want to make us better and me better.”

Opta stats: Villa’s record-breaking year

• This was Aston Villa’s 20th win in the Premier League this calendar year. In fact, only Manchester City have won more such games in 2023. It is the Villans’ most Premier League victories in a single year since winning 21 in 1998.
• Luton have made their worst ever start to a season across the top four tiers (five points in opening 10 games) – overtaking their previous worst tally at this stage of a season (six points in 1997-98, 1962-63 and 1950-51).
• This was the second Premier League game to see both sides score an own goal this season, alongside Fulham vs Sheffield United earlier this month. Meanwhile, it is the first Aston Villa game to feature two or more own goals in the top-flight since March 2002 v Bolton.
• Moussa Diaby is the first Frenchman to be directly involved in six or more goals across his first 10 Premier League appearances (three goals, three assists) since Dimitri Payet for West Ham in October 2015 (seven goal involvements).

• What’s next?

Aston Villa travel to Nottingham Forest in a cross-Midlands encounter on November 5, kick-off 2pm. They are then back in Europa Conference League action, with Dutch club AZ Alkmaar visiting Villa Park on November 9, kick-off 8pm.

Luton host Liverpool live on Sky Sports on November 5, kick-off 4.30pm. They then travel to Old Trafford to face Man Utd on November 11, kick-off 3pm.