Aston Villa 4-0 Derby County: Jack Grealish hits stunner on injury return
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A first-half double by Conor Hourihane (right) took his Championship tally to six goals this season
Conor Hourihane grabbed a double and Jack Grealish scored a breathtaking volley on his return from injury as Aston Villa thumped a dire Derby County side to get their Championship play-off challenge back on track in style.
Hourihane started the first-half onslaught when he slotted home after Tammy Abraham's shot had been saved and Abraham slid in the second soon after.
Derby's third consecutive defeat in a four-game winless league run was as good as confirmed when Hourihane scored his second from close range.
But the away side's desperate first half got even worse when Grealish's thunderous volley found the net from 25 yards to make it 4-0.
Villa, who had gone five games without a win and managed just two league victories in 14, continued to dominate as they coasted to an 11th win in 12 against Derby, with keeper Scott Carson making several fine saves.
The Rams, who have now not scored in each of their past three matches, offered almost nothing in attack but remain in seventh place, just three points off Bristol City who drew with Preston.
Villa are six points outside the play-offs and suddenly, with the influential Grealish back, their promotion prospects look promising with 11 matches remaining.
In contrast Derby seem devoid of confidence. Having conceded after just 74 seconds in their 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest on Monday, they were again slow to start with Ashley Cole forced to clear a Hourihane volley off the line.
The respite was brief as playmaker Grealish, back in the side after three months out with a shin injury, found Abraham with a cute pass and Hourihane netted on the follow-up after Abraham's strike was saved by Carson.
On-loan Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham has scored 21 goals in 29 Championship appearances for Villa this season
Carson, one of six changes to Frank Lampard's side, continued to be busy behind a sloppy defence that never coped with the movement and pace of Abraham, Hourihane and the captain Grealish.
Abraham's 21st goal of the season made it 2-0 after a fine cross by Ahmed Elmohamady.
And Abraham was also involved in the third when he outmuscled Richard Keogh, ran on and slipped the ball to Hourihane, who found the net with a composed finish.
Grealish, who left the field to a standing ovation after 70 minutes, then grabbed a sensational fourth when he volleyed in a Glenn Whelan corner for the goal of the day and one of the best seen at Villa Park all season.
Abraham, Grealish and Anwar El Ghazi could all have added to the margin of victory after the break, while Derby's fans resorted to cheering when they won a second-half corner and saw their side end the match without mustering a shot on target.
Aston Villa manager Dean Smith told BBC WM 95.6: "It was a really good performance. We started very well and had a big chance cleared off the line.
"We've had a few of those over recent weeks when it hasn't quite gone for us, but we scored shortly afterwards which has given everyone a lift.
"We scored some great goals and saw the game out very well. I told them I wanted a clean sheet and I thought if anyone was going to score in the second half, it would have been us.
"Jack's got great leadership qualities and he's a Villa boy so I had no qualms about making him captain today. The armband isn't a burden to him and I thought it's a good statement for the future and for him. In training he couldn't hit the target but it was a great goal he scored."
Derby boss Frank Lampard told BBC Radio Derby: "The players are a good bunch. They want to do well for this club and it was a very tough match for them as well [as the supporters]. There will be a strong words now but we have to turn it around and make it positive.
"Harry Wilson has been ill during the week. Some of the changes were forced because we are playing so many game and we are in a little patch of form where we are trying to inject something into the team. We are trying to find solutions and we didn't find them.
"In the first half we were so far below par. They were good, we made them look good and we gifted another early goal. It was a reality check of the issues we have had in recent weeks.
"We didn't perform. We were slow off the ball. We didn't have quality or personality on the ball and that happens when you are in a tough time."