Match ends, Middlesbrough 0, Aston Villa 1.
Aston Villa claimed their first win in six games as they beat Middlesbrough to spoil new boss Tony Pulis' first game in charge.
After an uneventful first half, Jack Grealish and Robert Snodgrass had efforts saved, while Jonny Howson and Patrick Bamford went close for Boro.
Villa took the lead when Snodgrass headed in from Albert Adomah's cross.
The result means Villa leapfrog Boro into seventh place, while Pulis' side drop to ninth.
Middlesbrough are now winless in five home league meetings with Villa and it is the first time Steve Bruce has claimed three points as a manager at the Riverside.
Villa, who were without eight first-team players - including Glenn Whelan, Neil Taylor and Keinan Davis, who all featured in the Boxing Day defeat at Brentford - had the best chance of the early exchanges when Adomah saw his shot saved by Darren Randolph.
Howson had a volley at the other end pushed away by Sam Johnstone but there were far more clear opportunities for the visitors after the break, as both substitute Grealish and Snodgrass struck low at goal only to be denied by Randolph.
Boro substitute Bamford then had two attempts blocked in the Villa box before Snodgrass' diving header gave Villa victory.
Middlesbrough boss Tony Pulis:
"I thought Villa did well, they played with a back four and five in front and never let us get in behind.
"I wanted to play with two forwards, see what Rudy Gestede and Britt Assombalonga were like together with Stewart Downing and Martin Braithwaite - and the quality they've got you'd hope we'd create opportunities.
"I just thought we were very, very slow at times. We needed to move the ball quicker and Adama Traore when he came on livened it up."
Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce:
"Considering the problems that we've had (without nine players) it's a very satisfying win.
"The response from the other night was vitally important. We lurch along, we played badly against Brentford second half and all of a sudden we're in crisis.
"We have to eradicate that as a club. We can't be just going along quite nicely and then we're in crisis. We've seen today this is a division which throws up results which leave people scratching their heads at. Let us get on with the job in hand."
Line-ups
Middlesbrough
Formation 4-4-2
- 25Randolph
- 5Shotton
- 4Ayala
- 6Gibson
- 3FriendBooked at 67mins
- 19DowningBooked at 90mins
- 16Howson
- 7LeadbitterBooked at 15mins
- 10BraithwaiteSubstituted forTraoréat 57'minutes
- 9AssombalongaSubstituted forFletcherat 79'minutes
- 39GestedeSubstituted forBamfordat 69'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Konstantopoulos
- 11Bamford
- 17Guédioura
- 18Fletcher
- 22Christie
- 30Baker
- 37Traoré
Aston Villa
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Johnstone
- 27El Mohamady
- 24ElphickBooked at 45mins
- 5ChesterBooked at 62mins
- 21Hutton
- 15Jedinak
- 7Snodgrass
- 18OnomahBooked at 30minsSubstituted forGrealishat 37'minutes
- 14HourihaneBooked at 24mins
- 37AdomahSubstituted forBjarnasonat 90'minutes
- 9HoganSubstituted forHepburn-Murphyat 75'minutes
Substitutes
- 10Grealish
- 13Steer
- 16Bree
- 20Bjarnason
- 29Hepburn-Murphy
- 32Doyle-Hayes
- 36O'Hare
- Referee:
- Andy Madley
- Attendance:
- 29,422
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home45%
- Away55%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away5
- Corners
- Home5
- Away9
- Fouls
- Home16
- Away12
Live Text
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Post update
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Middlesbrough 0, Aston Villa 1.
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Booking
Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Post update
Robert Snodgrass (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough).
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Jack Grealish (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Ryan Shotton (Middlesbrough).
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Substitution
Substitution, Aston Villa. Birkir Bjarnason replaces Albert Adomah.
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Foul by Robert Snodgrass (Aston Villa).
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George Friend (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Offside, Aston Villa. Mile Jedinak tries a through ball, but Rushian Hepburn-Murphy is caught offside.
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Attempt blocked. George Friend (Middlesbrough) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Daniel Ayala with a headed pass.
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Rushian Hepburn-Murphy (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Post update
Foul by Ben Gibson (Middlesbrough).
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Attempt blocked. Tommy Elphick (Aston Villa) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Conor Hourihane with a cross.
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Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Daniel Ayala.
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Foul by Robert Snodgrass (Aston Villa).
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Ashley Fletcher (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Ben Gibson.
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Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Grant Leadbitter.