West Ham United's Declan Rice has scored a fine goal from distance, as the rampant Londoners breezed past Aston Villa 4-1 in their Premier League clash at Villa Park, piling the pressure on home manager Dean Smith.
The visitors hit the front in the seventh minute, when fullback Ben Johnson cut inside from the right and fired a brilliant left-footed shot into the far corner.
Jarrod Bowen almost doubled the lead minutes later from a rapid counterattack, before Villa equalised in the 34th through Ollie Watkins, who finished with aplomb, after a reverse pass from Matty Cash.
But West Ham kept up the pressure and were rewarded, when Rice restored their lead before halftime.
The home side's hopes of a comeback suffered a blow, when Ezri Konsa was sent off almost immediately after the restart for impeding Bowen, who was clear on goal.
Villa rallied valiantly and created a string of chances, but were caught twice on the break, with Pablo Fornals and Bowen each finishing off slick counterattacking moves and putting the game beyond Villa's reach.
West Ham are fourth in the standings with 20 points - behind champions Manchester City on goal difference - after 10 games.
Earlier, second-half goals from Raphinha and Rodrigo Moreno earned Leeds United a 2-1 win away at Norwich City, keeping the visitors out of the relegation zone and the home side nailed to the bottom of the table after 10 matches.
Leeds stayed 17th on 10 points from as many games, three above 18th-placed Burnley, while promoted Norwich were left propping up the table on two points, still without a win.
The contest sprang to life in a frantic four-minute spell after the break, with Rodrigo firing Leeds ahead in the 56th minute, as he cut inside two defenders and drove in a low shot.
Norwich levelled two minutes later, when 19-year-old defender Andrew Omobamidele rose above his markers to beat Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier with a towering header, which went in off the underside of the bar.
But the home side's joy was short-lived, as Rodrigo forced another twist on the hour mark with a swerving low shot that squeezed in under home keeper Tim Krul. Norwich pressed in the closing stages, but failed to trouble the visitors.
Reuters.
