Downing´s double helps Villa rout Burnley

Aston Villa stepped up their bid to land a Champions League spot as Stewart Downing’s first goals for the club inspired a 5-2 demolition of Burnley on Sunday.

Martin O’Neill’s side kept the pressure on Manchester City and Liverpool in the race to finish fourth in the Premier League thanks to an astonishing second half goal spree at Villa Park.

Struggling Burnley had taken a shock lead through Steven Fletcher, but Ashley Young equalised before half-time and that was the cue Villa to run riot with four goals in 12 second half minutes.

Downing scored twice, then Emile Heskey notched the fourth goal three minutes later and Gabriel Agbonlahor added a fifth to condemn second bottom Burnley to their 13th defeat in 14 away league games this season.

Although Villa have a midweek FA Cup replay against Crystal Palace and the League Cup final against Manchester United looming next weekend, O’Neill named a full-strength team, with England forward Agbonlahor back from a leg injury.

O’Neill’s team had the first chance when Agbonlahor picked out Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov on the edge of the area but the Bulgarian dragged his shot well wide.

Burnley took the lead in the 10th minute when David Nugent found space on the right side of the penalty area to whip in a low cross that Fletcher, just onside, converted for his 11th goal of the season.

It was Burnley’s first away league goal in 550 minutes since Chris Eagles scored at West Ham on November 28.

Nugent almost added a second goal for Burnley when his shot took a deflection which had Brad Friedel scrambling across his line before it drifted wide.

Just as the home fans were being to voice their frustrations with Villa’s spluttering display, Young claimed his seventh goal of the season to ease their angst.

Young played a short corner to James Milner, received the return pass and then cut inside before firing a ball into the area which clipped Danny Fox before flashing past Jensen in the 32nd minute.

It took a fine stop from Jensen to keep out Young’s shot just before half-time as Villa began to find some energy at last.

Villa had the momentum now and took the lead in the 56th minute. Young drilled over a low cross from the left and Downing, collecting the ball at a tight angle, whipped his shot back into the far corner past Leon Cort on the line.

Downing shattered Burnley’s resistance completely in the 58th minute as Milner teed up the former Middlesbrough winger for a powerful low strike that deflected past Jensen off Fox.

With Burnley’s morale at rock bottom, Villa went for the kill and Heskey got in on the action as he scored from Agbonlahor’s 61st minute cross.

Agbonlahor put the icing on Villa’s cake in the 68th minute. Heskey found Milner in space on the right and the England winger sent in a cross that Agbonlahor poked home from close range.

Martin Paterson’s stoppage time goal from Jack Cork’s cross was no consolation for the Clarets.