Dango Outtara’s 12th minute goal was enough to earn the home side victory against a visiting team still yet to score this season.
The Bees saw a second from Mikkel Damsgaard ruled out for what referee Tony Harrington deemed a foul on Emi Martinez.
Villa bossed possession but never really looked like scoring, with John McGinn’s low shot the only serious test for home keeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
Analysis
McGinn’s effort was one of only two Villa managed on target all afternoon at the GTech Community Stadium.
They have only managed five on target through the first two matches and while they managed considerably more efforts at goal here than they did during last weekend’s 0-0 draw with Newcastle, this was another worryingly flat performance.
Villa have now failed to win either of their first two Premier League matches for the first time since 2019, their first year back in the top flight.
Rarely in the Unai Emery era have they delivered two so insipid performances back-to-back.
If matches were decided in the possession stakes, there was only one winner here. Villa saw more than 75 per cent of the ball but did precious little with it, particularly during the final stages after Emery had introduced Donyell Malen and new signing Evann Guessand off the bench.
The latter remains their only major outfield signing. More new blood is certainly needed prior to the transfer deadline, on this evidence.
Ezri Konsa’s sending-off against Newcastle had left Emery with a defensive headache and his solution was to pair Pau Torres alongside Tyrone Mings in the heart of the backline.
It was the first time they had ever played together in a competitive match and things did not start well as within 12 minutes Brentford were ahead.
A punt forward from goalkeeper Kelleher was flicked on by Igor Thiago and though Torres got to the ball first ahead of Outtara, his touch only managed to send the forward through on goal.
From there, Outtara got a little fortunate, his weak finish hitting Martinez and then the recovering Matty Cash before falling right back into his path. Second time around and with just Cash to beat, he made no mistake.
To make matters worse for Villa, Boubacar Kamara had sustained an injury in the moments before the goal and had to be withdrawn.
Brentford were content to sit back on the lead and try to catch Villa on the counter.
But while the visitors had nearly 80 per cent possession in the first half, they had precious little to show for it in terms of chances created.
Home keeper Kelleher’s only serious work was to save a low-struck John McGinn drive with his legs.
Instead, it was the hosts who should have gone into the break further ahead, Damsgaard volleying home after Martinez had spilled a long throw. Villa were spared by referee Tony Harrington, who rather generously deemed the keeper to have been fouled when replays suggested it was his own man, Morgan Rogers, making contact.
Villa were improved after the break with Emi Buendia, who had replaced Kamara off the bench, starting to find pockets of space to work.
First he picked out Rogers, who saw his shot deflected behind by a lunging Michael Kayode.
Buendia then sent an acrobatic effort over the bar, before pulling a shot wide of the post after running at the home defence.
Amadou Onana also saw an effort blocked and sent a low shot rolling into the arms of Kelleher as Villa upped the pace.
But they could not sustain any momentum and Kelleher was not seriously tested in the final quarter of the match.
**Key Moments**
12 GOAL Brentford take the lead. Dango Outtara goes clear at finishes past Emi Martinez at the second attempt.
**Teams**
Brentford (4-2-3-1): Kelleher, Kayode (Henry 85), Collins, Van den Berg, Lewis-Potter, Yarmoliuk (Jensen 79), Henderson (Onyeka 69), Outtara (Ajer 85), Damsgaard, Schade (Hickey 79), Thiago Subs not used: Milambo, Peart-Harris, Carvalho, Valdimarsson (gk).
Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Cash, Mings, Torres, Digne (Maatsen 64), Onana (Malen 64), Kamara (Buendia 16 (Guessand 75)), McGinn (Bogarde 75), Tielemans, Rogers, Watkins Subs not used: Rowe, Burrowes, Proctor (gk), Bizot (gk).