Norwich relegated from Premier League on Dean Smith’s return to Aston Villa

With his side struggling to kill off Norwich, Gerrard withdrew Coutinho, now six games without a goal or assist in the league, 15 minutes from time and sent on Buendia, the £38 million summer signing who was Norwich’s player of the season last term.

A 10th loss in 12 meant the yo-yo specialists made it four straight seasons which have ended in either promotion or relegation, a painful way for Smith to mark his return to the ground where he began the season in charge.

Defeat was down to goals from Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings, the second somewhat cruelly created by former Norwich man Emi Buendia, though the killer blows were applied 90 miles south at Vicarage Road where Burnley scored twice in four minutes late on to come from behind and beat Watford 2-1.

That left Norwich 13 points adrift of safety with four games left to play.

For Villa, this was a first win in five to lift them to 13th place, a timely win for Steven Gerrard given his side started the afternoon in 15th, only one higher than they were when Smith was sacked in November.

Smith, the boyhood Villa fan who earned promotion with the club, walked out to a loud reception as fans on all sides of Villa Park chanted his name, but his mission here was to frustrate a Villa side who had lost four on the bounce before last weekend’s goalless draw with Leicester.

For much of the first half it worked and it took almost 20 minutes for Villa to build any sustained pressure.

Lucas Digne, back sooner than expected from injury, crossed for Matty Cash who could not get clean contact under pressure from Brandon Williams.

Then Jacob Ramsey, who signed a five-year contract this week, drove forward before squaring for Philippe Coutinho, whose shot was charged down.

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