Benteke brace does damage
The visitors went ahead inside just three minutes through Wes Hoolahan but Villa produced a superb response after 25 minutes when Ron Vlaar crossed into the box for Benteke who controlled on his chest before acrobatically firing home with his back to goal.
The Belgium international netted his second two minutes later with a header from a corner before a third from Leandro Bacuna and a Sebastien Bassong own goal put Villa out of sight by the break. “We started really bad and made some changes and got the first goal and it was good for the team,” he said. “Since we scored the first goal we really showed some good football and some good character as well.”
Benteke had not scored in his last four matches for Villa and he added “[Scoring the goals] is good for myself but more important for the team.”
Vlaar was delighted his team dug in after going behind to Hoolahan’s opener, and said: “We made a few changes and then came the goal. We didn’t start that well and then were 1-0 down and the big man has showed what he’s capable of. He was really important for us.”
After losing three of their last four Premier League matches, Vlaar was pleased Villa turned things round here and believes the win will bring some confidence back into the side.
“We didn’t score many goals the last few games but today it all fell right for us and we really needed it for ourselves and for everybody else who loves Aston Villa.”
Norwich manager Chris Hughton was disappointed his side could not handle the “power and pace’ of the Villa team during their first-half scoring spell.
“For 25 minutes I thought we played very well. We started the game well, got a goal and could have got a second. One thing you have to do here – they can get a crowd behind them and you have to quieten that crowd and we certainly did that.
“But in a 15-minute period we conceded the one goal and they turned up the power and pace and we couldn’t handle it for that 15 minutes.
“If you can’t handle it you have to make sure you don’t concede and in a bad period for us we, of course, conceded the goals and at that stage there’s no coming back from that.”
ASTON VILLA: Guzan, Bacuna, Vlaar, Baker, Bertrand, El Ahmadi, Westwood, Delph, Weimann (Albrighton 82), Benteke (Holt 82), Agbonlahor.
Subs not used: Bennett, Clark, Steer, Sylla, Robinson.
NORWICH: Ruddy, Martin, Yobo, Bassong,Olsson, Snodgrass (Pilkington 46), Tettey (Howson 80), Johnson, Redmond (Elmander 63), Hoolahan, Hooper.
Subs not used: Whittaker, Bunn, Becchio, Ryan Bennett.
Att: 30,303
Ref: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
