Ashley Young's dazzling display helped Aston Villa to an impressive 4-0 win over Blackburn at Ewood Park as the Villans climbed up to sixth. Martin O'Neill's men stand just one point behind Chelsea and few would dare bet against them challenging for a Champions League place on the evidence of their rout of 10-man Rovers.
John Carew snatched Villa's opener against the run of play in the 29th minute but from that moment on the visitors were in command and when Ryan Nelsen was sent off in the 53rd minute there was only going to be one winner.
Nelsen hauled down Young in the box and Gareth Barry swept home the resulting spot-kick before late goals from Young and late substitute Marlon Harewood completed victory.
It was easy to forget Rovers had dominated the first half hour only to be denied by a mixture of poor finishing and fine saves from Scott Carson before Carew struck.
England number one Carson, given a torrid time at Middlesbrough at the weekend, received more of the same again at Ewood Park but kept his nerve to keep Villa on level terms.
Carson was first called into action in the ninth minute when he parried a powerful David Dunn drive from outside the box before busy defender Wilfred Bouma hacked the loose ball clear.
Dunn had the first shot on target in the ninth minute when he drilled in a low effort from outside the box which was parried by Carson before Wilfred Bouma hacked the ball out of the danger zone.
Then Santa Cruz showed his pace as he burst down the right flank, winning his race with Villa defender Zat Knight before blazing his shot narrowly over the bar from a tight angle.
David Bentley came closer from a 15th-minute free-kick after Barry had fouled Benni McCarthy 30 yards out in a central position. The midfielder's set-piece was heading for the top corner only for Carson to pull off an excellent save.
But Rovers still had to be alert with Chris Samba nicking the ball off Agbonlahor's toes in a dangerous position in the box in the 28th minute after Young had found space to cross.
And in the 29th minute Blackburn finally paid for their profligacy when Young was pulled down by Dunn on the left flank and got up to deliver the perfect set-piece for Carew to head past the onrushing Friedel.
Villa should have increased their lead in the 35th minute. Carew was left woefully unmarked to receive Stiliyan Petrov's cross into the box and only a bad first touch stopped what looked like a certain second before Samba cleared.
And with the Rovers back line suddenly looking vulnerable, Carew played Agbonlahor clear two minutes from the break only for Friedel to make a fine block.
Rovers kicked off the second half in the right frame of mind and were unlucky not to snatch the equaliser through McCarthy, whose crashing goal-bound volley struck Zat Knight in the 47th minute.
Once again the home side were made to pay with Dowd controversially adjudging that Nelsen had tugged the shirt of Young in the box, and reducing the home side to 10 men.
Barry's clinical set-piece put the game out of Rovers' reach and incited the home fans, whose mood did not improve when Dowd waved away a loud shout for handball against Bouma five minutes later.
Villa had justifiable claims for a second penalty dismissed by Dowd 12 minutes from time after Young tumbled in the box under pressure from Samba but was simply told to pick himself up.
Young responded by sealing Villa's victory two minutes later with a superb finish past Friedel after getting onto the end of Agbonlahor's cut-back to the edge of the box.
And to round off a thoroughly impressive evening substitute Marlon Harewood grabbed the fourth in the final minute after Friedel could only parry Carew's initial shot into his path.
