Aston Villa bounced back from their drubbing at Watford to record only their second away win of the season at Burnley, outclassing their opponents on the pitch and closing the gap to them in the league table. A late Burnley goal actually gave the final scoreline a flattering gloss, in the first half in particular Villa were full of running and attacking ideas, with Jack Grealish pulling most of the strings.
Villa enjoyed most of the possession in the first half, used it well and would have turned round even further in front but for the latest VAR outrage. Grealish was most certainly not offside when he skipped away from Phil Bardsley to meet Ezri Konsa’s 11th minute cross with a glancing header, but after the goal had been given and the ball placed on the centre spot ready to restart it became clear that Stockley Park scrutineers were checking whether Wesley’s heel was closer to goal than that of James Tarkowski.