A Christian Benteke brace has helped Aston Villa secure a vital 3-2 win against Everton in their Premier League clash at Villa Park.
The hosts were quickest off the starting blocks and came close to opening the scoring in the eighth minute when Benteke leaped highest to get to Jack Grealish’s inswinging corner, but the effort flew wide.
Villa only had to wait a further four minutes before they successfully broke the deadlock, the livewire Belgian striker nodding home Fabian Delph’s cross after getting behind John Stones and Phil Jagielka.
Everton continued to struggle against Tim Sherwood’s charges as Tim Howard was forced to get down low to keep out a stinging Charles N’Zogbia free kick from 30 yards.
The game slowed down in the midway stages of the first half, though Villa could have doubled their lead just before the half-hour mark when Ron Vlaar sent a free header wide of the post.
Nevertheless the hosts were able to add a second goal on the stroke of half time as the prolific and unmarked Benteke stabbed the ball into the roof of the net from Grealish’s pinpoint corner.
Everton were bright from the off in the second half when Romelu Lukaku picked the ball up deep and beat two defenders before dragging his shot just wide from 25 yards.
The Toffees then had the chance to get back into the game from the penalty spot just before the hour, courtesy of Vlaar’s tackle on Steven Naismith in the box.
Lukaku stepped up and scuffed the penalty past Shay Given and into the corner to give his side a chance of getting something from the game.
It didn’t take long for Tim Sherwood’s charges to restore their two-goal advantage, however, as Leandro Bacuna played Tom Cleverley in with an angled through-ball, before the ex-Manchester United midfielder charged forward and drove the ball home.