Villa were clinical in their finishing in front of goal, while Fulham struggled to trouble goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

Cottagers boss Scott Parker had spoken before the game about his desire to improve the defence, and Fulham’s frailties were soon on show again.

The hosts were punished almost immediately after failing to convincingly clear the ball from the back.

John McGinn sent in a well-weighted cross to Grealish who made no mistakes in front of goal, slotting the ball past Alphonse Areola.

Fulham’s challenge was then made more difficult, when Hourihane struck his first goal of the calendar year to double his side’s lead in the 15th minute from another McGinn assist.

Grealish starred in the centre of midfield, creating numerous chances for the visitors, while Parker’s side struggled to establish themselves on the game.

Last season’s Championship top-goalscorer Aleksandar Mitrovic often cut a lone figure in the box, with the Villa defence matching every cross which came in looking for the Serbian forward.

Villa all-but wrapped up the three points at the start of the second half, as an unmarked Mings put the ball past Areola from a Hourihane free-kick.

Fulham looked to have pulled one back when Decordova-Reid had the ball in the back of the net, but the goal was reviewed to VAR for a possible foul in the build-up.

Following a lengthy review, and after consulting the pitchside monitor, referee Stuart Attwell disallowed the goal for a foul by Mitrovic on Ezri Konsa in the box.

The hosts were limited to long-range efforts as the game drew to a close, with Villa able to hold off the challenge to secure a clean sheet.