Brentford 3-0 Aston Villa: Lasse Vibe's double inspires Bees

Brentford cruised to their first win over Aston Villa with a comprehensive 3-0 rout of Steve Bruce's Sky Bet Championship big spenders.

Lasse Vibe scored twice, either side of a Nico Yennaris strike, to move the Bees up to 13th in the table.

Danish striker Vibe took just 25 minutes to break the deadlock when he latched onto a superb three-man move to round Villa goalkeeper Sam Johnstone and fire home.

Yennaris made it two just before the break when he ghosted in unmarked at the far post to bundle home Jota's deep right-wing cross.

Vibe sealed the win just after the hour mark when he raced onto a slide-rule Josh McEachran through-ball to fire past the flat-footed Johnstone to make it three.

Villa's new signings Conor Hourihane and Birkir Bjarnason started brightly enough but after squandering two or three clear chances early on the Villa threat waned.

Brentford's Spanish winger Jota was at the heart of much of the hosts' superb football, and might have scored just minutes before the break when he lashed a rising drive against the crossbar after a powerful diagonal run that cut out three visiting defenders.

Villa could have got their noses in front in the first 20 minutes, Jonathan Kodjia racing clear of the Bees' high line only to slide his low effort past the far post.

Bjarnason tested Brentford goalkeeper Dan Bentley with a dipping drive as Bees skipper Harlee Dean headed wide from a corner at the other end.

Villa really should have had something to show for those clear-cut chances in the opening 20 minutes, but once again Andre Green headed a gilt-edged chance wide from Albert Adomah's precision cross.

Brentford, who unveiled their new £2.5m signing Sergi Canos before the game, grew in confidence as the first half wore on and once they scored the result was never really in doubt.

After the break it was all Brentford as Villa seemed devoid of any fight or desire. The Londoners' new signing Florian Jozefzoon from PSV Eindhoven teased the visitors' back four with his pace and played in Vibe on the hour mark, but the Dane toe-poked the first-time effort wide.

McEachran and Yennaris pulled the strings from the heart of midfield with Ryan Woods the engine room, repeatedly passing balls through Villa's static midfield which left the centre-back pairing of James Chester and Nathan Baker exposed.

Woods curled a free kick past the angle on 74 minutes as the Bees went for the jugular before Johnstone denied Vibe his hat-trick with a suberb save low to his left.

Jota almost put the icing on the cake in injury time when Vibe unselfishly left Josh Clarke's cross, only to side-foot his first-time effort past the upright.

Brentford boss Dean Smith:

"There was a freedom about the players tonight. We had pace down the flanks and that opened up the middle for us to pass through the lines really well.

"We had a debrief after the Chelsea game and talked about how quick and athletic Chelsea were and the quality they had and we said if you push yourselves there are no barriers to stop you getting to that level. They did tonight."

Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce:

"That was the worst so far here and arguably my worst game in years. As soon as they scored we collapsed, and that is unacceptable.

"We started brightly enough and had chances. Then we had to be better for the next 60 minutes but we were poor all over the pitch both offensively and defensively against a very good Brentford side."