Aston Villa gave themselves a lifeline with a 2-0 victory over Norwich City at Villa Park on Saturday.
Remi Garde's side secured just their third victory of the season to move within eight points of safety with 13 matches remaining.
Villa hit the front on the stroke of half-time when Carles Gil floated a free-kick into the area which was met by the head of Joleon Lescott and went beyond Declan Rudd in Norwich goals.
Six minutes into the second half and Villa were two the good courtesy of Gabby Agbonlahor who raced onto a through ball from Jordan Veretout before slotting past Ruud who had advanced way off his line. It was Agbonhalor's first goal since March last year.
That was enough to land all three points which takes bottom-placed Villa to 16 while Alex Neil's Canaries find themselves third bottom on 23 points after five-straight league losses.
MATCH OVERVIEW
Aston Villa: 2 (Joleon Lescott 45', Gabby Agbonlahor 51')
Norwich City: 0
Villa Park, Birmingham - 32,472
TALKING POINTS
- Is there still hope worth clinging to at Villa? They are 8 points behind Newcastle but is there enough time?
- What next for Norwich? Five consecutive defeats and only five goals, four of which came against Liverpool, in their past five outings. Something needs to change quickly.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Villa will be looking for back-to-back wins when they host Liverpool on Sunday as Norwich strive to end an unwanted drought when West Ham visit.
TWITTER INSIGHT
Well done guys !!! #AVFC
— Jordan Amavi (@JordanAmavi) February 6, 2016
Great result from the boys, So happy to get a clean sheet too!! #utv
— Mark Bunn (@MBGKA) February 6, 2016
QUOTES CORNER
Villa boss Garde on the importance of the win for the playing group:
"I'm pleased for the players, they have been rewarded with the points.
"For a long time we have been playing that way. When the players behave like they did, fighting together and showing a good spirit, this is the way the fans want us to be."
Norwich's Neil on the threat of relegation:
“Nobody wants to feel the pain of relegation. I've got two promotions back-to-back and the last thing I want to do is go back.
"I've been used to winning and when you start losing it's difficult to handle. It's not nice. You want to fight, you need the players to do that. They have to show that passion."
STATS SPECIALS
*Thanks to Opta
2 - Aston Villa have scored just 2 first half goals in their last 11 Premier League games & Joleon Lescott has scored both of them. Surprise
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 6, 2016
0 - Norwich City are the only team yet to keep a clean sheet away from home in the Premier League this season. Leak.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 6, 2016
7 - Gabriel Agbonlahor has now had a hand in seven goals in seven Premier League apps versus Norwich City (four goals, three assists). Thorn
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 6, 2016
