Leon Bailey and Emiliano Buendia scored the goals as Aston Villa recorded a 2-1 victory over Leeds United in the Premier League at Villa Park on Friday night.
Leeds had plenty of bright moments during an open match, but Bailey sent Villa ahead in the third minute before Buendia doubled the home side's advantage in the 64th minute.
The visitors did halve the deficit late on through Patrick Bamford, but the striker's first Premier League goal of the season on his return from injury only proved to be a consolation.
The result has kept Unai Emery's side in 11th spot in the Premier League table, but they are now level on points with 10th-placed Chelsea, while Leeds stay 14th, boasting 17 points from their opening 18 matches of the season.
Villa have now won four of their six league matches under Emery, while it is five games without a victory in England's top flight for Leeds, who are only two points above the relegation zone.
Villa took the lead in the third minute of the contest when a breakaway from a corner ended with Bailey picking out the far corner with an excellent effort.
Boubacar Kamara did brilliantly to drive towards the Leeds penalty box before feeding Bailey, who sent Emery's side into an early lead at Villa Park.
Villa were forced into a change in the 10th minute of the contest, though, with Lucas Digne leaving the field with a shoulder injury, which allowed Alex Moreno to enter the field for his debut following a move from Real Betis.
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Leeds were dangerous on the transition, with Jack Harrison setting up a half-chance for Rodrigo in the 17th minute, but the Spaniard failed to make contact on his teammate's cross.
The Whites had a golden chance in the 22nd minute when a clever free kick released Rodrigo inside the box, but he slipped at the vital moment under pressure before Harrison fired wide from the loose ball.
Bailey attempted to pick out Ollie Watkins with a cross in the 27th minute, as Villa threatened a second, but the striker just stopped his run at the vital moment, when he could have doubled the home side's advantage.
Watkins then had to be replaced in the 31st minute through injury, with Danny Ings entering the field.
Leeds came close to levelling shortly before the break when Rodrigo rounded Emiliano Martinez before attempting to find the back of the net, but Moreno did brilliantly to make a goal-saving block.
Martinez then made a stunning save to keep out a close-range effort from Harrison before the impressive Wilfried Gnonto had his effort deflected over the crossbar for a corner.
Rodrigo did have the ball in the back of the Villa net in first-half stoppage time, but the linesman's flag came to the home side's rescue, with the Leeds forward offside earlier in the move.
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The Whites also came close to scoring early in the second half through Marc Roca, but the midfielder's effort was deflected over the crossbar after strong work from Harrison.
Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier then had to keep out a strike from Moreno down the other end, before Martinez clawed away a curling effort from Gnonto.
Rodrigo had another chance for Leeds on the hour, breaking into the Villa box before missing the post with a low effort, with the home side keeping hold of their lead.
Ashley Young then made a wonderful challenge to deny Tyler Adams inside the Villa box, before the home side doubled their advantage through Buendia, who converted after Meslier had kept out Bailey.
Initially, the offside flag ruled out Buendia's effort, but a check from VAR confirmed that the attacker was onside, with the home side doubling their advantage.
Moreno continued to cause Leeds problems down the left, and he hit the side netting in the 72nd minute, but it was the full-back on the opposite side that was the star of the show, with Young making a number of excellent challenges for the home team.
Leeds had one back in the 83rd minute when Gnonto did brilliantly to drive into the Villa box before picking out Bamford, who swept the ball into the back of the net, but the home side held on to secure all three points at the conclusion of an entertaining affair.
Next up for Villa in the Premier League is a trip to Southampton on January 21, while Leeds will take on Cardiff City in an FA Cup third-round replay next Wednesday before hosting Brentford in the league on January 22.
Matt Law
