*Tom Cleverley’s third goal in successive games gave Aston Villa a huge push towards Premier League safety as they beat West Ham.*

The midfielder scored from close range after Jack Grealish’s cut-back on 31 minutes to move Villa four points clear of the bottom three.

West Ham were livelier in the second half after an awful opening 45 minutes.

Striker Enner Valencia headed in a cross from Brazilian substitute Nene, but was judged marginally offside.

Victory means that Villa will secure their Premier League status with a win at Southampton next Saturday, regardless of results elsewhere.

Tim Sherwood’s side faced a nervous final 20 minutes after failing to build a bigger lead during a dominant first half.

But the FA Cup finalists were well worth their third win in four league matches, with Grealish a creative threat and Christian Benteke’s power causing problems.

There was positive news too with the return from a hamstring injury of second-half substitute Gabby Agbonlahor, who missed a late chance to mark his return with a goal, after being sent clear by Grealish.

West Ham felt they should have had a first-half penalty as Valencia was dragged down by Leandro Bacuna as they contested Morgan Amalfitano’s corner, but referee Lee Mason ruled instead that Kevin Nolan had fouled Villa keeper Shay Given.

Hammers manager Sam Allardyce also protested over the ruling out of Valencia’s goal, believing that the Ecuador international was level with the last defender when he headed in midway through the second half.

But Villa had seen several chances come and go by then, with Hammers keeper Adrian punching out a Cleverley volley, Benteke slicing wide after finding space and Fabian Delph firing straight at the keeper before the goal arrived.

West Ham, who have struggled for goals in recent weeks, did look more of a threat after Alex Song and Nene had replaced Amalfitano and Nolan at half-time.

Nene was just off target with a couple of long-range efforts, while Given had to turn over former Villa defender James Collins’ looping header from a corner late in the game.

Villa, though, secured a win - and look to have done enough to ensure that, should former Chelsea business director Paul Smith’s planned £150m takeover go through, he will be buying a Premier League club.