WERE OUTPLAYED
each begging to be dispatched. The first was embarrassingly headed over an open goal by Jonathan Kodjia, who then turned wide just inches from goal. Inbetween, Abraham got a glance where a forehead would have been preferable, allowing Scott Carson to make a decent save.
Jack Marriott, seeking a sixth goal in seven games, then went clean through only to thump his effort straight at Orjan Nyland. From the resulting corner, Tom Huddlestone booted wide from inside the six-yard box.
The title, though was taken by Tom Lawrence just seconds before the break. In behind after a misjudgement from the shaky Axel Tuanzebe, the Derby winger had Nyland stranded and the entire goal to choose from. Somehow, he clipped the bouncing ball over the bar.
It would prove pivotal. Though the dreadful Kodjia continued to pepper the home supporters with misguided missiles, Villa’s creeping second-half dominance soon became a suffocating claret shroud.
Never again did Derby threaten; rarely did they even escape their half. Passes went astray, composure vanished. Marriott was so far from service he might as well have been in the Outback.
Much of that was down to the majestic McGinn, whose tireless and perceptive running made the leaden Huddlestone look like a training ground mannequin.
His mastery of the third-man run is reminiscent of Lampard’s greatest asset, and the opener – a close-range header after bursting between the centre-halves – was straight out of the Derby manager’s playbook.
The 24-year-old Scot – a summer signing from Hibernian – then turned provider as he skimmed in a low left-footed cross that Abraham toed beyond Carson.
“John is a better player than I ever dreamed of before I came here,” said Villa boss Dean Smith, who notched his third win in five games since replacing Steve Bruce in October. “He’s a top, top player and we’re fortunate to have him.”
By the time Hourihane whipped home a trademark free kick from the angle, Derby were already in damage-limitation mode.
“We missed some chances but I never doubted for one minute we would score,” added Smith.
“The quality of the squad is there for all to see. I still don’t think they understand how good they could be, but they’ve made a statement to themselves today.
“When we have a gameplan and we follow it, we look a hell of a team.”