Aston Villa 2-1 Burnley: Malen double helps continue Emery's team's winning streak

Donyell Malen's brace helped Aston Villa record four consecutive wins across all competitions as they downed Burnley 2-1 in the Premier League on Sunday.

Malen netted his first two goals of the season either side of half-time to ensure all three points for Unai Emery's side, who moved up to 13th in the early-season standings.

Villa forced Martin Dubravka into an early save, with the Burnley goalkeeper equal to Ezri Konsa's header from a corner, but Emery's team soon got Villa Park bouncing again.

Malen raced on to Boubacar Kamara's sumptuous pass in behind, with the Villa forward holding off the pressure from Maxime Esteve before finishing into the bottom-left corner in the 25th minute. 

Burnley, however, came close to restoring parity 10 minutes before the break, but Emiliano Martinez brilliantly sprang to his right to repel Josh Cullen's low strike from the edge of the area.

The hosts went close again at the start of the second half, but a sprawling Dubravka save denied Morgan Rogers from close range as the home side increased the tempo.

Villa were not to be denied, however, as England international Rogers picked up an intelligent position on the edge of the area and found Malen, who struck a powerful effort into the far corner to double his and Villa's tally in the 63rd minute.

But Burnley pulled a goal back with 12 minutes to go as an unmarked Lesley Ugochukwu headed home from a corner, but Villa were able to hold on for another big win.

The Villans are now within a point of the top half of the Premier League table, while Burnley's fifth straight league game without a win leaves them down in 18th.

Data Debrief: Emery marks milestone with win as Malen bags first brace for Villa

This was Emery's 150th match in charge of Aston Villa, after taking over in October 2022, and he marked the occasion with his side's fourth consecutive victory in all competitions.

Indeed, after going winless in each of their opening six games of the season (D4 L2), Villa are now on the joint-longest ongoing winning run among Premier League teams across all competitions (four, level with Arsenal).

Malen took both of his goals with great aplomb and scored his first double since achieving the feat for Borussia Dortmund against Freiburg in February 2024. He also made his 21st Premier League appearance but only his fourth start – the Dutchman has scored three goals across those four starts, also netting against Nottingham Forest in April. 

Burnley, meanwhile, have won just two of their 40 Premier League games across their last two Premier League campaigns, when excluding games against newly promoted opposition (D9 L29). In comparison, the Clarets have won four of five games against promoted sides in that same period (D1).