Blackburn 2 Villa 0
Sunday 21st November 2010, 4:00PM GMT.
Robert Pires’ debut ended in disappointment as two Morten Gamst Pedersen goals condemned Villa to defeat at Ewood Park.
Pedersen struck in each half to give Sam Allardyce’s men the three points, leaving the claret and blues with just one win from their last eight Premier League games.
The Norway international’s first came on the stroke of half-time when he curled in an inswinging left-footed free-kick from wide on the right beyond Brad Friedel with the Villa keeper in no man’s land.
Villa began brightly in the second half and the closest they came was when Ashley Young headed a Stewart Downing cross against the crossbar.
But Rovers made sure of the points on 66 when Pedersen diverted home Ryan Nelsen’s driven shot across the box.
There was a debut for Pires, who was introduced as a substitute for Stephen Ireland within two minutes of Blackburn’s second, who was unable to inspire a comeback.
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