Louis Saha snatches at a shot when he had a little more time than he realised. Villa are suddenly hanging on.

The hosts are building some pressure, with Baines again the threat - his cross is this time cleared by Warnock, with Cahill lurking.

Leighton Baines gallops down the Everton left and delivers a tempting cross for Yakubu, but the big striker makes no contact with an overhead kick.

Everton are running out of ideas, with Villa dealing easily with the long-balls being pumped into their box.

Carew tests Howard with an effort from Warnock's cross, but the American gathers easily. Time is running out for these teams and neither looks desperate to gamble in the search for a winner.

Saha does well to connect with a header from distance, but the ball loops over Friedel's goal.

Neither keeper has been seriously tested recently and another long-range effort, this time by Jack Rodwell, sails wide.

Bilyaletdinov has been quiet since the break and his leftwing cross is claimed by Freidel.

Warnock is getting forward well from leftback and the ex-Liverpool man forces a decent save from Howard. Worrying times for the Toffees.

With Villa suddenly in the ascendency, David Moyes considers his first change - Joao Alves Jo is warming-up.

Cahill needs to be careful - he is already in the referee's book and is showing signs that his frustration might boil over.

Another Warnock corner is met by Agbonlahor, but the striker's header bounces wide.

Villa enjoy a spell of possession in Everton's half and earn a corner that falls to Stiliyan Petrov, whose fierce goal-bound shot is blocked by Cahill.

The teams exchange free kicks and the home fans are starting to show their frustration.

Villa's midfield is making its presence felt in this second half.

Yakubu is causing Dunne and Collins problems, but the hosts need a threat from other areas.

That Villa goal has unsurprisingly lifted the visitors, who are playing with plenty of confidence. This match suddenly looks very different.

Gabriel Agbonlahor wriggles free of the defence but his shot is straight at Tim Howard.

Tim Cahill has again been quiet today and his shot is well-blocked by Warnock.

A succession of fouls in the middle of the pitch further breaks up the game's flow and both bosses will be thinking about half time changes, although Martin O'Neill will be the happier manager if the score does not change.

The match is drifting towards half time and there is yet to be a clear-cut scoring opportunity.

The pace of the match has slowed a little, which will suit the away side as they looked more vulnerable when both teams attacked.

Heskey tries his luck from distance but the former Liverpool man's effort drifts well wide, much to the home fans' delight.

Warnock unleashes a fierce volley from the edge of the area, but the ball flies wide of the righthand post.

Emile Heskey is struggling to make an impact on his recall to the Villa line-up. The England striker concedes a free kick for a clumsy challenge on Heitinga.

Everton counter-attack after a Villa corner and nearly take the lead from Yakubu's header, which loops just wide after excellent work by Heitinga down the Villa left flank.

Villa seem to have weathered the early Everton storm. Milner smashes a shot into the defensive wall after Distin trips Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Ashley Young delivers a dangerous corner, but Jack Rodwell clears at the near post. The Villa winger looks like the visitors' most potent threat.

Everton are firmly in control, with Villa's midfield struggling to gain a foothold in the game.

Leighton Baines advances down Villa's right and has his progress ended by James Milner. The full back takes the free kick himself but can only find the wall. A corner and another free kick follow, but the Toffees still can't fashion a clear chance.

Yakubu lashes wide from the edge of the box and Villa remind the home side of their own threat with a dangerous cross by Ashley Young that somehow evades everybody.

Fellaini tries his luck from distance, but Freidel makes a regulation save. Everton are bossing possession.

Bilyaletdinov's corner is nearly met by Fellaini, but the flag was up for a foul.

Yakubu is causing the Villa defence plenty of problems and Brad Friedel, playing his 200th consecutive Premier League match, does well to turn the Nigerian's cross-shot behind.

The hosts nearly open the scoring - good work by Yakubu and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov looks like creating a simple chance for Marouane Fellaini, but James Collins makes an excellent saving tackle.

Ashley Young, the hero of Villa's win at Goodison last season, does well to whip in a cross for Steve Sidwell, but Leighton Baines does enough to distract the midfielder and Tim Howard's goal is not threatened.

Everton's first decent spell of possession ends with a clumsy challenge by James Collins on Ayegbeni Yakubu, but the resulting free kick is wasted.

A lively start by Villa, who are passing the ball around nicely.