Joao Pedro scored his 20th goal of the season as Albion deservedly returned to winning ways at the Amex.
The Brazilian saw his 87th-minute penalty parried by Robin Olsen – one of several fine stops by Villa’s keeper – but he reacted to head in the loose ball.
They may have left it late but Albion were worthy winners against a weary-looking Villa. Pascal Gross had a goal disallowed for a marginal offside and Olsen denied the German in the first half as well as making a great save from Joao after the break.
Simon Adingra was a constant threat, winning the penalty during a player of the match performance and continually stretching Villa down the left, while a clean sheet was another positive as Albion moved up to 11th in the Premier League table after their first win in seven league games.
There had been a flurry of early Albion chances, all involving the mercurial Adingra.
The Ivorian had two shots saved by Olsen and a cross cleared to Joao, whose effort was deflected wide. Facundo Buonanotte’s corner picked out Danny Welbeck but the ball flew over off his shoulder.
Albion had taken the initiative in the opening half-hour. The visitors seemed happy to sit in, conserve energy and counter-attack, although they offered little apart from a low drive by Moussa Diaby which Bart Verbruggen saved comfortably.
Albion had two opportunities in first-half stoppage time, and Olsen denied them on both occasions. He did enough to prevent Adingra – at full stretch - from stretching to convert Joao’s pass before making a fine save moments later after the best move of the first 45. Adingra was creator this time and Gross timed his run perfectly but his close-range strike was blocked by the keeper’s outstretched left leg.
Villa found some energy at the start of the second half and substitute Matty Cash’s 25-yarder wasn’t too far away. De Zerbi made his first change on the hour, bringing on Julio Enciso, and moments later Olsen saved Villa again. Adingra’s pass sent through Joao, under pressure from Pau Torres but in on goal. Olsen spread himself to block the shot with his left hand.
Enciso blazed over from the edge of the box and Gross thought he’d broken the deadlock on 70 minutes when he neatly side-footed Igor’s cross past Olsen at the near post, but the VAR penalised him for a marginal offside. VAR intervened again with 12 minutes to go at the other end when John McGinn beat Verbruggen but he was more clearly offside.
Danny Welbeck met Enciso’s cross with a looping header that only just missed the far post but just when it looked as if it was going to be one of those days Albion got their reward. Another burst by Adingra ended when he was clipped from behind by Ezri Konsa in the box and although Olsen parried Joao’s penalty the Brazilian nodded the rebound into the net.
Albion: Verbruggen, Veltman, Webster, Dunk, Igor, Gross, Gilmour (Baleba 88), Adingra (Barco 90+3), Joao, Buonanotte (Enciso 61), Welbeck (Moder 88).
Unused subs: Steele, Barco, Fati, Offiah, Peupion, O’Mahony.
Referee: R. Jones
Attendance: 31596
Match report in association with SnickersUK.com