CHERRIES will head into the international break in the relegation zone after a resounding 3-0 defeat at Aston Villa.

Douglas Luiz broke the deadlock early on, before Jacob Ramsey doubled the lead in the latter stages, on a day in which Cherries struggled to create any sustained spells of pressure.

Dominic Solanke missed the visitors’ biggest chance, with Villa adding to their tally late on through Emi Buendia.

There was one huge moment to cheer for the sold out away end. David Brooks came off the bench during the second half for his first appearance in 536 days, having not played competitively since recovering from Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

But on the field, it was a day to forget for Gary O’Neil’s men.

Cherries named an unchanged side for the first time in almost five months, following the stunning 1-0 win over Liverpool last time out.

There was one change among the substitutes, with Hamed Traore fit again and taking Ryan Fredericks’s spot on the bench. Adam Smith broke the record for the most appearances by a Cherries player in the Premier League, taking his tally to 169.

Former Cherries defender Tyrone Mings lined up for the hosts, who were also unchanged from their draw at West Ham.

Villa made the brighter start and were rewarded with the opening goal inside seven minutes. Jack Stephens deflected an Ollie Watkins shot across the box, which was collected by Leon Bailey. The pacy Jamaican burst past Lloyd Kelly and crossed low for Luiz, who swept in unmarked from the six yard box.

Cherries slowly worked their way into the contest, Jaidon Anthony almost pouncing on a sloppy John McGinn pass, before Philip Billing headed over from a deep Smith cross.

Smith was then involved at the other end, his vital intervention denying Bailey in the box.

Cherries finally worked goalkeeper Emi Martinez halfway through the slow-paced opening 45 minutes, Solanke spinning in the box and fizzing at effort at the near post, which was turned behind.

The visitors then had their own keeper to thank at the other end. Buendia threaded a ball through for Watkins, but he was denied one-on-one by Neto.

Ramsey was then twice involved before the half was out. The England under-21 international could not divert his shot on target after good work by Alex Moreno, before then being thwarted by a last-ditch flying Stephens block.

After Villa worked the ball well from a corner, Ramsey sent the shot goalwards, but it struck the arm of Stephens as he threw himself at the ball, before flying over the bar. A VAR check was carried out, but no penalty awarded.

Neto was called into two saves at his near post during the early skirmishes of the second half. The Brazilian held from Moreno, before also stopping a fiercer effort from Watkins.

O’Neil turned to his bench just before the hour mark, introducing both Traore and Antoine Semenyo, with Joe Rothwell and Anthony replaced.

And Cherries soon tested Martinez again, Billing’s powerful free-kick tipped over by the Argentinean after Dango Ouattara had been fouled just outside the box.

Solanke then smashed a shot into the side netting as the final 20 minutes approached.

The striker then had Cherries’ clearest opening of the afternoon soon after. An excellent ball by Traore was latched onto by Solanke, who broke through one-one-one with Martinez. However, as he looked to skip around the keeper, that allowed Mings to get back and produce a sliding block.

Back came Villa with a quick break, leading to substitute Bertrand Traore’s effort deflecting wide of the post.

Then, with 11 minutes to play, the crowd rose as one. Brooks, for the first time since a 0-0 draw at Peterborough United in the Championship, was in action for Cherries, introduced off the bench.

It was a heart-warming moment, putting things into perspective.

But moments later, the football took centre stage again as Ramsey collected the loose ball on the edge of the box, skipped past Stephens and fired a shot through Neto to double the lead.

Mings then saw a huge chance to net against his former club come and go, firing straight at Neto, before the defender then flicked on for Buendia to nod home a third goal to compound a miserable afternoon for Cherries.

Cherries: Neto; Smith (Brooks, 79), Stephens, Senesi, Kelly; Lerma, Rothwell (Traore, 59); Ouattara (Vina, 90+2), Billing (Moore, 90+2), Anthony (Semenyo, 59); Solanke.

Unused subs: Mepham, Cook, Christie, Travers (g/k).

Booked: Billing, Lerma, Senesi, Stephens.

Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Moreno, Luiz, McGinn (Chambers, 90+1), Buendia (Duran, 90+1), Ramsey, Bailey (Traore, 65), Watkins.

Unused subs: Carlos, Young, Digne, Sinisalo (g/k), Olsen (g/k).

Booked: McGinn.

Sent off: None.

Referee: Robert Jones.

VAR: Stuart Attwell.

Attendance: 41,021.