Aston Villa 2 Rotherham 0 - Report and pictures

A 2-0 home win over Rotherham outfit yet to pick up a point on their travels this season won’t be enough to ease all of the pressure on manager Steve Bruce, or silence all of his critics.

But in terms of performance, it was undoubtedly a big improvement on recent showings as Villa, though still far from perfect, provided glimpses of the team they have the potential to be.

Tammy Abraham and Yannick Bolasie, Bruce’s two most recent signings, delivered their first goals for the club to end a five-game winless run and a victory which, in spite of all their recent troubles, lifted Villa into the top six.

Abraham bagged the opener in a first-half which Villa dominated, while Bolasie came off the bench to add the second eight minutes from time just when it appeared a nervy finish was in store.

Bruce, who had heard fans call for his head during Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Blackburn and knew a victory was imperative, got the rewards for throwing caution to the wind in a team which saw Abraham and Jonathan Kodjia paired together in attack.

The latter set up the former for the opener and both caused the Millers problems throughout.

Bruce picked a team full of attacking intent but not without its surprises.

The biggest of which saw Mile Jedinak restored to the heart of the back four at the expense of Axel Tuanzebe, who dropped to the bench.

Conor Hourihane was rewarded for his last-gasp leveller at Blackburn with his first Championship start since the opening win at Hull. Anwar El Ghazi was also restored to the line-up, with Albert Adomah the man to make way.

Even more eye-opening was the formation, with Jack Grealish position on the left of midfield in what was a straight 4-4-2.

Villa were quickly out of the blocks and threatened inside the opening minute.

Grealish picked up a loose ball on the left and played in Kodjia. Goalkeeper Marek Rodak could only parry the striker’s cross and the ball fell invitingly for Hourihane on the edge of the box, with his fierce shot being blocked by a defender.

Kodjia then should have broken the deadlock when John McGinn’s deflected low cross fell perfectly into his path but he fired the finish straight at Rodak.

Rotherham’s early threat came in the shape of long-range efforts from Ryan Williams and Richard Towell, both of which flew off target.

Villa, positive and precise in their work, were looking much more dangerous.

They almost went ahead when Kodjia held off the attentions of two defenders and slid a pass into the path of Grealish. But the playmaker’s low cross was just inches too far in front of a sliding Abraham.

The danger for Villa was when their passing broke down. A wayward Hutton pass was pounced upon by Williams and a well-timed block from James Chester was then required to prevent Michael Smith getting an effort on target.

It was a rare scare, however, with Villa’s pressure eventually paying off in the 27th minute as they broke the deadlock with an excellent team goal.

Abraham had gone close again a minute earlier, just being beaten to a vicious El Ghazi cross by a brave Rodak.

McGinn then pounced on a clearance 25 yards from goal and, having initially shaped to shoot, laid a pass off to Grealish. From there the ball was quickly moved to Kodjia, who took a touch before sliding through a pass for Abraham to slot past Rodak first-time.

Hourihane, who had scored with a spectacular free-kick at Blackburn, nearly delivered another on the stroke of half-time, though this time the ball flew narrowly wide of the post.

Applauded off at the break, Villa took time to find their stride in the second period and Kodjia left Bruce seething on the sidelines when, having got the byline, he attempted an elaborate cross which slammed into the side netting.

Chester went close to finding the second goal when he glanced a McGinn cross just wide of the far post after the visitors had struggled to clear their lines, while Hourihane brought a sharp save from Rodak with an audacious effort from out on the left wing.

The longer the lead remained at one, the more nerves among home supporters began to rise.

Tensions were further frayed when, with 20 minutes remaining, Millers substitute Jon Taylor directed a header just the wrong side of the post from Will Vaulks’s cross.

Villa needed a spark and almost found it when McGinn pounced on a loose pass and went tearing into the Rotherham half before finding Abraham. But the striker’s left-footed shot was blocked and Grealish, having picked up the loose ball, then curled an effort over.

Rotherham promptly delivered another scare when captain Richard Wood glanced a header inches wide of the post with Nyland scrambling.

Having blown a lead late on in the last home game against Reading, Bruce might have been getting a sense of deja vu.

Finally, with eight minutes to go, the second goal arrived. Elmohamady was the creator, whipping in a vicious cross from the right flank which Bolasie, who had replaced the quiet El Ghazi, converted with a diving header.

Teams

Villa (4-4-2): Nyland, Elmohamady, Chester, Jedinak, Hutton, El Ghazi (Bolasie 73), McGinn, Hourihane, Grealish, Abraham (Bree 86), Kodjia (Adomah 81) Subs not used: Tuanzebe, Whelan, Bjarnason, Bunn (gk).

Rotherham (4-3-3): Rodak, Vyner, Ajayi, Wood ©, Mattock, Vaulks, Towell, Manning (Proctor 68), Williams (Forde 76), Smith, Vassell (Taylor 59) Subs not used: Palmer, Wiles, Jones, Price (gk).