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Emiliano Martinez kept yet another clean sheet as Aston Villa beat Leeds 1-0 at Elland Road on Saturday.
The deciding goal came just five minutes into the match from Anwar El Ghazi as Dean Smith’s side picked up the three points.
The last meeting at Elland Road between the two sides was a feisty affair in the Championship that ended 1-1 when Marcelo Bielsa ordered his players to allow Villa to equalise.
The game today was by no means as entertaining as that clash two years ago.
Villa were unable to call on star man Jack Grealish, who remained out injured.
Smith made two changes to his starting XI, with midfield pair Jacob Ramsey and Marvelous Nakamba replacing Ross Barkley and Douglas Luiz.
The visitors made a fast start at Elland Road as El Ghazi gave Villa a fifth-minute lead, staying just onside and having time to steer home Ollie Watkins’ cross despite slipping in front of goal.
While it ebbed and flowed in the first half, Villa shut down their opponents after the interval and for Leeds the game ended in a whimper.
Leeds responded through Tyler Roberts, but his thumping effort was well saved by Villa goalkeeper Martinez and then El Ghazi twice went close to extending Villa’s lead.
Villa doggedly defended their slender lead and both sides were guilty of halting play with niggling fouls.
Leeds struggled to break down a resilient defence and when substitute Jack Harrison’s late cross offered them their best chance of rescuing a point, Raphinha fluffed his header.
That goal proved to be decisive with Villa holding onto the clean sheet, Martinez’s 13th of the season, and moved up to eighth place.
They are just six points off the top four with games in hand over some of their rivals.
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