Manchester United returned to winning ways after consecutive home defeats in the English Premier League with a breezy but much-needed 3-0 victory at Aston Villa yesterday.

Beaten by Everton and Newcastle United in its previous two league outings, United was at risk of losing three successive games for the first time since 2001, but it was dominant at Villa Park.

A quick-fire brace from Danny Welbeck put United in control after only 18 minutes and it added a further goal through Tom Cleverley to close to within 10 points of leader Arsenal (35).

Victory left the champion six points below the Champions League positions in eighth place, but this was a timely win for manager David Moyes after a desperate run of four games without victory, including away draws with Cardiff City and Tottenham Hotspur.

Marc Albrighton worked United goalkeeper David de Gea twice in the early stages, but a pair of goals from Welbeck put United in control.

Deputizing for the injured Robin van Persie, the England forward broke the deadlock in the 15th minute when he slammed home after Adnan Januzaj had headed against the post from a Rafael da Silva cross.

Villa was unable to contain United's right-sided players and three minutes later the visitors scored again from that flank, with Antonio Valencia crossing for the sliding Welbeck to score.

Wayne Rooney, playing in his 500th club game, and Welbeck both went close to extending United's lead before Cleverley added a third in the 52nd with a first-time finish from Rooney's pass.

It was the England midfielder's first goal for a year and United was able to celebrate another milestone later in the game when Darren Fletcher came on to make his first appearance after a year out with a chronic bowel condition.

Villa, which has not beaten United at home since 1995, stays 11th in the table.

After leader Arsenal's 3-6 capitulation at Manchester City on Saturday, Liverpool (30) can return to second place if it wins at Tottenham Hotspur.

In the day's other game, Nathan Dyer scored for Swansea City but suffered a suspected fractured right angle in the 1-1 draw at Norwich City.

Meanwhile, West Bromwich Albion full-back Steven Reid said yesterday that the club's players had been left in "complete shock" by the abrupt dismissal of head coach Steve Clarke.

Clarke was sacked late on Saturday, following a run of four consecutive defeats that left the Midlands club two points above the relegation zone.

The 50-year-old Scot led West Brom to an eighth-place finish last season — its highest in the Premier League era — and Reid says that the players had no inkling that he was about to be sacked.

"There is a shock. Sometimes in a dressing room you get a sense a change is coming, but this has come as a complete shock," he told BBC television program Match of the Day Extra.