- Davies (19), Carson (41 og)
- Morrison (49)
- Date:2009-01-10
- Kick-off:12:45
- Venue:Villa Park
- Attendance:41757
- Referee:Bennett, S
Live Commentary
90mins
Full-Time: ASTON VILLA 2-1 WEST BROM. Villa hang on for the win after a battling performance from the Baggies.
90mins
Roman Bednar is booked for continually complaining to the officials.
90mins
There are three minutes of added time.
90mins
Carlos Cuellar almost scores in his own net but Brad Friedel is able to retrieve the ball and both sides are nervous in the closing stages.
89mins
Gabriel Agbonlahor sends the ball well wide after a fine run and cross from Ashley Young.
87mins
Scott Carson drops Ashley Young's cross but West Brom are able to clear.
86mins
Steve Sidwell is replaced by Carlos Cuellar.
86mins
Ashley Young's shot is deflected behind for a corner.
84mins
West Brom have a spell of pressure but Jonas Olsson's finall ball is too long and Villa can regroup.
83mins
Gabriel Agbonlahor's cross is caught by Scott Carson and West Brom counterattack.
81mins
Roman Bednar concedes a free-kick in the area as West Brom try to attack and the chance is gone.
80mins
James Milner tries to curl an effort round Scott Carson but the ball bobbles through to the West Brom keeper.
77mins
Kim Do-Heon is on for Borja Valero in West Brom's final change.
75mins
Chris Brunt's free-kick hits the wall and Robert Koren's follow-up is wide.
74mins
Martin Laursen gets the first booking for a body check on Jay Simpson.
73mins
Roman Bednar and Nigel Reo-Coker clash and again the referee gives them a talking-to.
72mins
Scott Carson catches Ashley Young's free-kick cleanly.
71mins
Chris Brunt concedes a free-kick and Steve Bennett has a quiet word.
69mins
The frantic pace of the game has slowed a little now.
67mins
Luke Young tries a wild shot which is way over the bar.
65mins
Chris Brunt replaces James Morrison who is unable to continue.
63mins
James Morrison and Ashley Young collide and there's a brief stoppage in play.
61mins
Roman Bednar almost gets the ball through to James Morrison but Martin Laursen is in the right place at the right time to avert the danger.
59mins
Villa have stepped up their game again and Nigel Reo-Coker has a strike which goes well wide.
57mins
Roman Bednar has made a huge difference to the West Brom side and forces a save from Brad Friedel.
56mins
Both sides are attacking whenever possible and it's turned into a very entertaining local derby.
54mins
West Brom apply pressure again and Jonathan Greening's corner is eventually cleared.
53mins
Gareth Barry heads into the side netting from the corner and most of the ground thought he'd scored.
52mins
Scott Carson makes another great save from Steve Sidwell for a Villa corner.
51mins
Ashley Young's effort is saved well by Scott Carson and the game is now end-to-end.
48mins
ASTON VILLA 2-1 WEST BROM. James MORRISON's flashing drive flies past Brad Friedel from the edge of the area.
47mins
West Brom eventually manage to get the ball away.
47mins
Gabriel Agbonlahor's shot is deflected into the side netting and Villa have a corner.
46mins
Luke Moore is off and replaced by Roman Bednar.
46mins
The second half gets underway.
45mins
Half-Time: ASTON VILLA 2-0 WEST BROM. Steve Bennett blows for half-time and West Brom need to regroup.
45mins
Martin Laursen is allowed a free header but can't direct it goalwards.
45mins
There's two minutes of added time.
44mins
Villa have won a flurry of corners as they step up the pace.
42mins
James Milner's effort flies over the bar.
40mins
ASTON VILLA 2-0 WEST BROM. Poor goalkeeping from Scott Carson who allows Gabriel AGBONLAHOR's effort to squirm past him.
38mins
There's a bit of confusion in the Villa penalty area but they eventually clear the corner.
38mins
Luke Moore's goalbound volley is deflected behind for a corner.
36mins
Ashley Young's free-kick is too near Scott Carson as Villa threaten again.
35mins
James Morrison has a free header but heads straight at Brad Friedel in Albion's most incisive attack since the goal.
33mins
West Brom are trying to keep the ball and get a foothold back in the game, but don't yet have a cutting edge.
31mins
Steve Sidwell should have scored from James Milner's pullback but puts the ball wide.
30mins
Scott Carson does well to claim Ashley Young's cross with James Milner and Steve Sidwell threatening.
29mins
James Milner's cross is headed goalwards by Gareth Barry but it's straight at Scott Carson.
29mins
The Villa players are being much more positive after the goal.
28mins
The corner is cleared and Villa break with Gabriel Agbonlahor but Albion have players back to defend.
27mins
West Brom aren't lying down and have another corner.
25mins
Ashley Young tries a curling right-foot shot which is just past the post.
23mins
The goal has lifted the Villa fans who were being a little quiet.
21mins
West Brom give the ball away and Steve Sidwell has a shot from 25 yards which is saved by Scott Carson.
19mins
ASTON VILLA 1-0 WEST BROM. Albion clear the ball off the line twice from the corner but Curtis DAVIES heads Gareth Barry's past Scott Carson to give Villa the lead.
18mins
Aston Villa have their first corner thanks to a run from Ashley Young.
17mins
The Villa fans aren't happy with the way their team has started the game.
15mins
Jay Simpson is involved again as Robert Koren's cross-shot is saved by Brad Friedel.
14mins
West Brom are battling well and haven't allowed Villa to settle into the game yet.
12mins
Steve Bennett is refereeing today after the late withdrawal of Mike Riley.
10mins
Ashley Young nutmegs Carl Hoefkens who then wins the ball back and the Villa man is not happy and claiming a foul.
9mins
Borja Valero has a shot from the edge of the area which is well over the bar.
8mins
West Brom have started well and have another corner.
6mins
Jay Simpson is causing all sorts of problems with his pace but Curtis Davies is able to deal with the threat for now.
5mins
Villa break forward but Ashley Young is offside.
4mins
Steve Sidwell heads the ball away from the corner and Villa are able to clear their lines.
3mins
Luke Moore has an early shot which is deflected into the side-netting and West Brom have a corner.
1mins
Villa kick off in this bracing lunchtime match.
0mins
It's almost time for kick-off at Villa Park - can bottom club West Brom upset the odds and beat Champions League hopefuls Villa?
Match Preview
After suffering mixed fortunes in last week's FA Cup third round, Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion return to Premier League action at Villa Park.
Albion suffered one of the biggest upsets of the round at the hands of League One side Peterborough, who equalised in the dying minutes to take the Baggies to a replay at London Road.
Despite progressing through to the fourth round Villa could not have enjoyed their narrow 2-1 win over Gillingham, a game that manager Martin O'Neill described as 'blood and thunder'.
Neither O'Neill nor his counterpart at West Brom, Tony Mowbray, can argue that they used the weekend to recuperate in preparation for this weekend's fixture as both men decided to field strong teams.
Villa rested only Gareth Barry (groin) and Luke Young, both of whom should come straight back into the team to face the Baggies, with Craig Gardner and Nicky Shorey returning to the sidelines.
O'Neill was also forced to leave Martin Laursen and Gabriel Agbonlahor out of the side - the latter having fallen ill on the morning of the game.
The young striker should be well enough to take his place in attack alongside Ashley Young this weekend, but Laursen's knee injury is likely keep him out.
With Villa's other two injured defenders, Wilfred Bouma and Carlos Cuellar, likely to be out for another two weeks the rest of the team that beat Gillingham should start against West Brom.
The Baggies, bottom of the Premier League on goal difference only after their vital 2-0 victory over Spurs two weeks ago, were also forced into two changes for their FA Cup tie.
James Morrison and Carl Hoefkens came in for the injured Borja Valero and Gianni Zuiverloon, both of whom should be fit for this weekend - as should Morrison who tweaked his groin during the draw with the Posh.
Yet the distinctly average performance last week could force Mowbray to switch players regardless of injuries, although he has had to wait until the end of this week before weighing up his options.
"Thursday will be the acid test for Gianni and James," Mowbray told the club's official website earlier this week, adding: "If they don't train they'll be doubts."
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Match Report
Goalkeeper Scott Carson cannot escape making catastrophic blunders and his latest mistake handed his former club, Aston Villa, three points on a plate.
Carson's transgression occurred in the 41st minute when he fumbled a seemingly harmless low shot from Gabby Agbonlahor, who had shot more in hope than conviction of scoring.
Earlier, Curtis Davies did his former club few favours as the central defender notched his first goal for Aston Villa to keep West Bromwich Albion firmly entrenched at the foot of the Premier League.
Poor Albion, who have collected only four points from their eleven away games, slumped to their eighth defeat away from The Hawthorns as Villa completed the double.
After his second-half performance, questions had to be asked why Albion did not start the game with Roman Bednar, who certainly livened up their attack in the second half.
Villa, last beaten at home by Albion in 1979, turned off the tap in the second half and maintained their record, although they allowed their near neighbours back into the game when James Morrison reduced the arrears five minutes into the second half.
As usual, Albion played some pleasing football with newcomer Jay Simpson from Arsenal showing up well in the early stages.
The vital turning point occurred in the 18th minute following a delightful three man move between Stiliyan Petrov, Gareth Barry and Ashley Young.
Unfortunately, no-one was on hand to convert Young's perfect cross from the left. Paul Robinson, however, decided to concede a corner.
Both Morrison and Jonathan Greening cleared efforts off the line before the ball went back to Barry on the right. His cross was headed home by Davies despite a packed Albion defence.
The goal turned on Villa, with Ashley Young in particular emerging as Albion's tormentor-in-chief as he demonstrated with several tricky runs. One such run nearly ended in a second goal, but Young's curling shot was just wide of the far post.
Albion's fate should have been sealed as early as the 31 minute when their defensive frailties were exposed. Robinson was caught hopelessly out of position as James Milner raced clear.
He provided a low cross for the on-rushing Steve Sidwell, but the former Arsenal and Chelsea player screwed his shot wide.
Four minutes before half-time Carson made his latest howler when he palmed in Agbonlahor's low, close-range shot after the England striker had collected a pass from Barry.
Albion, who had previously only scored three goals on their travels this season, hit back in the 50th minute when Morrison gave a good indication of why he has attracted the attention of Bolton.
The industrious Albion played latched onto a header down from substitute Bednar to crash his 15-yard shot past Brad Friedel, with the aid of a deflection.
In the following two minutes Carson distinguished himself with successive saves from Ashley Young and Sidwell to keep Albion in the game, but his earlier mistake ultimately proved to be the incident which decided the local derby.
Albion staged a determined late rally and Villa survived the onslaught and what appeared to be a strong penalty appeal in the last three minutes to complete the double.
Aston Villa Team
West Bromwich Albion Team
Aston Villa | West Bromwich Albion |
Corners
| 10 | 7 |
Fouls
| 12 | 17 |
Goal attempts
| 21 | 9 |
Shots off target
| 8 | 3 |
Offsides
| 1 | 0 |
90mins
Roman Bednar heads wide as West Brom have a chance to equalise.