Birmingham: Aston Villa thrashed West Ham 3-0 in the Premier League on Saturday, five days after Martin O'Neill resigned as manager and with a goal from Jame Milner in what could be his last match before moving to Manchester City.
Milner was jeered by the Villa Park crowd but he scored in the 66th minute to add to goals from Stewart Downing in the 15th and Stiliyan Petrov in the 40th and give caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald a winning start.
O'Neill walked out on Monday after a disagreement with owner Randy Lerner over the future direction of Villa.
Villa were already well in the ascendancy, courtesy of first-half goals from Stewart Downing and Stiliyan Petrov, as they proved there can be life after Martin O'Neill.
Ashley Young and Marc Albrighton ripped the hapless Hammers to shreds, Downing was named man of the match and Villa were unfortunate not to have won by double the scoreline.
Young's fierce cross found Albrighton, who volleyed the rebound goalwards and forced the West Ham keeper into a diving save. But Green could only push the ball to Downing who scored from the six-yard line.
West Ham's defence was all at sea as Downing and Albrighton made the most of the space and time they were being afforded down the flanks. Albrighton once again got the better of Herita Ilunga before pulling the ball back to Young, who picked out Petrov's driving run into the box, and the Bulgarian headed Villa into a 2-0 lead.
Villa soon wrapped up the game. Albrighton bustled his way past Tomkins and pulled the ball back for Milner, who lashed a first-time shot past Green.
Comments
0 comment