Aston Villa wrapped up their third straight Premier League victory with a convincing 3-0 win against Middlesbrough at The Riverside.

A first-half finish from John Carew and second-half strikes from Olof Mellberg and Gabriel Agbonlahor eased Villa up a place in the table to seventh and left Boro in the bottom three.

Villa's opener duly arrived in first-half injury time when Gareth Barry delivered a fine cross from the left and Carew swivelled past David Wheater in the box before steering the ball home past Mark Schwarzer.

Villa eased further ahead two minutes after the break when Lee Cattermole's poor clearance fell to Mellberg, who poked it home.

And Villa went further ahead in the 58th minute when Carson's long punt found

Agbonlahor, who used his strength to hold off Woodgate and sweep a left-foot shot past Schwarzer.