FT: Aston Villa 1 Bolton 2

All over and what a win this is for Bolton. They were second best for the first half but the introduction of Kevin Davies gave them a focal point up front and they improved dramatically thereafter. That said, it was Villa who went in front but just two minutes later they were behind. Bolton now a point adrift of safety with a game in hand while Villa are only three points ahead of them.

Last chance for Villa to hoist it forward. Given's free-kick is flicked on by Agbonlahor and drops to Bannan but his left-footed snapshot is always sliding across goal.

Kevin Davies chases down a backpass and forces Given to concede a throw deep in Villa territory.

Corner whipped into the edge of the six-yard box but Agbonlahor can't get it on target and Bolton can clear via a goal-kick.

Villa corner as Lichaj, who looks out on his feet, gets forward.

Lichaj hurls a throw into the Bolton box but it's half-cleared. Bannan curls a ball back into the box but again it's cleared.

Lichaj booked after Bolton are awarded a throw-in he thought should have gone the other way.

They do take it short, but Villa win the ball back. Their attempts to get forward come to nothing, though, and Bolton force another corner. We're into four minutes of added time.

Corner to Bolton late in the day. The ball is exactly where they want it to be and they'll surely take this short and run the clock down still further.

Nathan Delfouneso on for Villa. Herd the man to make way with what we're told is a groin problem

Cool header back to Bogdan from Wheater allows a few more seconds to be eaten up by the Bolton rearguard.

Bogdan does well to come and gather the ball amidst bodies in the area. Nervy last few minutes for both sides here.

Thigh or hamstring problem for Eagles. He hobbles off, with Marcos Alonso replacing him.

N'Zogbia whips the ball in from the left but it bounces harmlessly through the area and out for a throw on the other side. Eagles will need some treatment while the ball is dead. He looked to be feeling his hamstring when he made that burst forward and is now sitting on the turf.

Agbonlahor gets down the right well and turns a cross in but Bolton clear. All hands to the pump for the Trotters.

Eagles bursts down the right and whips a cross in but it's just too far ahead of Kevin Davies and drifts harmlessly out to the other side of the field.

Weimann chuntering away to the referee as play continues. Clearly thought he had a decent case for a penalty there.

Herd hoists the ball forward and Weimann backs into Ream as he tries to control. He goes down in the box and appeals for a penalty but the referee waves play on.

Ball in once again headed out of immediate danger then overhit as it's worked back in. Bogdan can soak up a little time with the goal-kick as the clock ticks on.

Wheater heads Bannan's free-kick behind for a corner.

Bannan's ball in is headed clear, as is the ball in that follows. Warnock then lifts the ball forward but he's fouled by Mark Davies as he plays it and the referee gives the free-kick.

Corner to Villa. This could be their chance.

Bolton just seem to be sitting back here. For me, that's inviting trouble though Villa are struggling to mount any meaningful attacks at the moment.

Not much happening here. Both sides struggling to find any sort of quality going forward. Oh for a three-minute burst of three goals...

Villa replace Albrighton, who started brightly but has faded badly, with Barry Bannan.

I'm told Ream was booked - after the ball went out - for a tackle on Agbonlahor in the build-up to N'Zogbia's chance. Have to confess I didn't see the referee produce the card though.

Once again N'Zogbia provides the spark for Villa as he bursts forward, skips past Wheater and advances into the Bolton box before smashing his shot over the crossbar.

Ivan Klasnic replaces Ngog.

Huge appeals for a penalty from the Villa fans in the Holte End as Kevin Davies and Herd vie for the free-kick. Not for me - they were just tussling for the ball.

Agbonlahor makes his entrance, with Heskey the man replaced.

Villa change on the way in the not-too-distant future by the looks of it. Agbonlahor stripped and ready for action.

Really flat atmosphere in Villa Park. Only fans we can hear singing are in the away section while there's an increasing amount of grumbling from the Villa fans. Understandable though.

Looks like Heskey might be struggling. That said, we're told from down on the touchline that Ngog may well have been on his way off before Bolton scored!

As things stand, Bolton will be a point adrift of safety and three points behind Villa.

Another corner to Bolton as Eagles' corner is turned behind.

There was just 64 seconds between the Bolton goals I'm told. And now Herd has to fling himself in the way of an Eagles shot at the expense of a corner.

Incredible. Absolutely incredible. Eagles skips his way into the Bolton box and does superbly to clip the ball across from Ngog, who turns it home from seven yards out. What a turnaround. Bolton fans now chanting 'We are staying up'.

Just seen first replay of the penalty. Villa can have no complaints.

Well that lead didn't last long! Lovely penalty from Petrov which beats Given even though he dives the right way.

Almost immediately there's a penalty at the other end! Cuellar penalised for a foul on Mark Davies. Incredible drama.

GOAL - WARNOCK. Out of nothing, N'Zogbia provides the spark this game has been lacking by bursting down the right, taking two Bolton defenders out of the game. He cuts it back superbly for Warnock to slide home from eight yards out.

Ball into the box falls for Steinsson in a scrum of bodies. Muted appeals for a penalty as the ball strikes a Villa man before they clear. Given then rushes his clearance and it's straight out for a throw. Nervy stuff from the hosts now and it's the same in the stands. Bolton definitely better since the break.

Corner to Bolton now as Cuellar nicks the ball off the toes of Mark Davies in the Villa penalty area.

N'Zogbia's ball in is scrambled clear at the front post. Eventually drops to Warnock centrally but his attempted ball out to Weimann flies out for a throw down the Villa left. Their level has dropped off since the first half definitely.

Albrighton's cross from the right strikes Ricketts and flies behind for a Villa corner.

Villa fans think Hutton has forced a corner down the right but the assistant referee disagrees. Hutton makes no complaint so don't think that can be disputed.

Eagles surprises me by shooting rather than clipping the ball into the box but fortunately Given is more alert and scrambles across to his left to save. Then Kevin Davies concedes a free-kick and Villa can clear.

Kevin Davies uses all his experience to turn Warnock and draw the foul. Very clever play that and Eagles has the free-kick to knock forward into the Villa box.

Albrighton's ball in is gathered by Bogdan unchallenged. Good goalkeeping that.

Crowd comes to life as N'Zogbia forces a corner down the left.

Eagles cuts in on his left foot at the edge of the box and gets a shot away but it's never troubling Given unduly and he's able to gather comfortably.

Herd whips the ball in but it's cleared beyond the far post by Kevin Davies. Warnock clips it back in and though Cuellar gets a firm header on it he's never getting it on target.

Corner to Villa down at the other end as Weimann is rewarded for his hard running. Scrappy start to the half so far.

Kevin Davies gets up well to head back across goal but Ngog is just caught on his heels a little and again Given is able to gather.

Heskey back to his feet and looks fine to continue.

Heskey tries to shoot after the whistle has gone for an earlier indiscretion and though he connects with the ball he also appears to kick Wheater flush on the foot. Sore one that.

Kevin Davies already having an impact. His flicked pass from a throw is perfectly into the path of Petrov but his first touch is heavy and the ball squirts through to a grateful Given.

Quiet start to the half. Alex McLeish already gesticulating with a degree of irritation in his technical area.

Hearing it's a tactical switch from Owen Coyle despite Miyaichi taking that tumble into the hoardings in the first half.

Villa get us back under way.

Bolton making a change at the break with Kevin Davies replacing Miyaichi.

Bolton trotting out now too...

Villa back out...

Betting update from Sky Bet. Aston Villa are 5/4 with the draw 11/8 and Bolton now 7/2 shots.

That's half-time and it was certainly Villa's half. The game remains goalless, though, and while that's the case you certainly can't write Bolton out of it. Back soon...

Ball pumped long and Heskey gets a flick. N'Zogbia then tries to work himself somce space down the left but can't find a way through and as the ball dribbles out, that's half-time.

Ngog is penalised for a foul on Cuellar that baffles me. Couldn't see anything wrong with that challenge.

N'Zogbia whips the free-kick over and around the wall and Bogdan is beaten all ends up. It shaves the outside of the post, though, to groans from the home fans.

Wheater drags Heskey to the deck as the big striker tries to control a long ball. Free-kick to Villa around 35 yards from goal centrally. Be amazed if they don't shoot.

Miyaichi whips a cross in from the right but there's barely a Bolton player in there and Given gathers easily.

Eagles fires in a shot which deflects out towards Petrov but Hutton reads it well and clears the danger.

Heskey gets a flick to a long ball and Ream manages to chest it away from Weimann, with Bogdan - who initially looked to have advanced too far from goal - preventing the corner.

Ream goes down holding his head after an aerial challenge with Heskey. Took a leading arm in the face there but both players were simply focused on the ball for me there.

Petrov whips a lovely ball in from the Bolton left and Eagles is inches away from diverting it goalwards. Promising for the visitors.

Corner to Villa down the left after good pressing from Weimann.

Got to say Villa deserve to be in front on the balance of play but the more of these chances they squander the more the nerves could kick in.

Hutton gets down the right and cuts the ball back. Albrighton looks frustrated as it drifts past him but he's not seen Warnock advancing. His rising shot flicks off the crossbar and flies over. Great chance that and he should have got it on target.

Villa shift play out to N'Zogbia on the left and he turns Gretar Steinsson inside and out. He cuts inside before flicking in a right-footed cross which Heskey flicks off target.

Ricketts is the first man booked and can have no complaints. As he slides the ball inside, once again it's to a Villa shirt and as Albrighton looks to race past him to give Warnock an option for the pass, Ricketts trips him blatantly.

Heskey drills in a low shot after a lovely turn on the edge of the Bolton box but Bogdan again gathers, albeit this time at the second attempt.

Weimann cuts in from the inside-right channel after turning Ream and curls in a shot from 19 yards but it's straight at Bogdan and he gathers comfortably.

The free-kick comes to nothing initially but then Bolton work it back out to the right for Miyaichi, who has come back on into some space. He slides a shot across the greasy turf but it's comfortable for Given and his handling is faultless.

The free-kick is pumped into the Villa box but it's cleared. As Weimann tries to get it, he appears to be impeded by Reo-Coker but the referee doesn't give anything to the bemusement of Alex McLeish. Bolton push down the right and Miyaichi crashes into the advertising hoardings after a challenge from Lichaj. Free-kick and tempers flare on the benches with the fourth official putting himself between Owen Coyle and Kevin MacDonald as a bout of finger-pointing ensues.

Warnock and Eagles collide in the centre circle. Free-kick to Bolton as the rain lashes down at Villa Park.

Good turn from Ngog initially on halfway but then he turns into trouble as Herd slides in. Heskey offside, though. The Villa strikers need to be wise to this.

Eagles is pulled up for a foul on Eric Lichaj as he tries to get down the Bolton right. Not at all convinced about that one - and fair to say from his reaction that Eagles isn't either.

Probably the best spell of Bolton possession we've seen since kick-off ends with Mark Davies spraying a lovely ball out to Miyaichi on the right but he's just strayed a yard offside. Shouldn't have done as he was looking right across the line.

Ngog and Eagles try to link down the right in a similar manner to Eagles and Miyaichi earlier but Cuellar is live to it and turns the ball out for a throw, which Bolton fail to make the most of.

One-way traffic continues as Heskey tries to slide a ball through to his strike partner but the slick surface carries it away from Weimann and into the hands of Bogdan.

Weimann springs the Bolton offside trap onto a ball around the corner from Heskey but the flag is up. Was a tight one.

Weimann stands up a cross from the right which David Wheater heads clear as far as the edge of the Bolton box. Herd heads it back into the area towards Heskey but his effort is well gathered by Bogdan.

Heskey tries to fashion himself a yard of space in the box but the flag is up with the former England striker adjudged to be offside. Nice little flicked ball from N'Zogbia through to him there.

Bolton's corner comes to nothing and Albrighton powers into the Trotters' half matched every step of the way by Petrov. He has to turn back and when the ball is worked back to Albrighton his cross is really poor, sailing out for a throw on the other side.

The afore-mentioned minute's applause for Petrov begins as Bolton force a corner down the right.

Villa cut Bolton open again centrally but fortunately for the Trotters Bogdan is alert to the danger and races to the edge of his box to block at the feet of Weimann. Could be famous last words but there's no doubt who is in charge of this one.

Eagles attempts an ambitious lob with Shay Given seemingly not well positioned but it sails harmlessly into the crowd.

Hutton tries to latch onto an Albrighton flick down the right but the ball's a little heavy and he has to slide to keep it in and in doing so gives the ball back to the away side. Bolton again squander possession all too easily, though, but Herd's shot - after he had won the ball - sails over. Referee had pulled him up for a foul in any case as it turns out.

Decent link play finally from Bolton with Chris Eagles and Ryo Miyaichi linking nicely. The latter's ball in is half-cleared to the edge of the box where Eagles smacks in a shot but Nathan Baker flings himself in the way of it and Villa smuggle it clear.

Corner comes to nothing and Bogdan can clear with a goal-kick.

Can't tell you enough how slack Bolton are being on the ball here. This time it's Ricketts who gives it away and Villa force another corner down the right as the increasingly influential Albrighton gets forward again.

Herd tries to float an angled ball from the right into Heskey in the Bolton box but just overhits it and the former England striker can't divert it back across goal as he planned.

Reo-Coker gives the ball away all too cheaply in midfield and Albrighton springs forward. The former Villa man snaps back into the tackle to redeem his error though.

Hutton does well to track a Martin Petrov run from a long goal-kick and hook the ball over his shoulder for a throw. Ngog then tries to hurdle Hutton's challenge out on the Bolton left but goes down. Looks to be a foul at first glance but the referee waves play on. Hutton certainly didn't get the ball and though he made little contact with Ngog he certainly impeded his run.

N'Zogbia hoists a free-kick into the Bolton box from deep but it sails beyond everyone, even Albrighton beyond the back post. Really poor delivery that.

Tim Ream has to track out to the left to halt a forward run from Albrighton as Villa look to spring quickly forward down that side.

Bolton just looking to get a foothold in the game. They knock the ball around nicely initially but then it goes astray centrally.

Nice touch from the Villa fans as they rise for a minute's applause for Bolton's Fabrice Muamba. We'll have one for Stiliyan Petrov shortly too.

Ricketts throws short to Nigel Reo-Coker but his return pass is awful and drifts out for a Villa throw deep in the Bolton half. Really slack from Bolton once again.

Definitely the start VIlla will have wanted, that's for sure. They're on the front foot and Bolton aren't in the game as yet.

All Villa here. Charles N'Zogbia whips what looks to be a lovely cross in from the left but Andreas Weimann can't divert his header goalwards. If anything the youngster was in the box too early there and ended up having to crane his neck.

Bolton at sixes and sevens here at the back early on. A long throw bounces in the middle of their box and Sam Ricketts' attempted header clear is a poor one. Heskey looks to pounce but his snapshot is always sailing over the crossbar.

Great chance for Villa in the first minute. Ball whipped in superbly and Chris Herd leaps to power in a header. It's just over the crossbar. Think he should have done better there - at least forcing Adam Bogdan to make a save.

Heskey in sharply to win the ball back for Villa as Bolton are way too sluggish at the back. Marc Albrighton forces the first corner of the match down the Villa right.

Bolton get us under way.

Teams taking to the field...

Brian writes: "Nailbiting one this game tonight. Surely by law of averages Villa have to win a home match sometime? What is wrong with Stephen Ireland, no mention of injury in local paper."

Henry writes: "Villa fan here. Absolutely shocked at this line-up! With all the young talent we have on the bench, McLeish has opted for Heskey and Warnock. Delfouneso and Gardner should be ahead of them two by a clear mile! What is the guy playing at?! Would like to see a comfortable win for the Villa. However, I can see a 0-0 draw on the cards."

For those that haven't gathered from the team lists below, Villa manager Alex McLeish makes three changes. Right-back Alan Hutton, midfielder Stephen Warnock and striker Emile Heskey come into the side in place of injured trio James Collins, Stephen Ireland and Gabriel Agbonlahor. Carlos Cuellar takes over the captaincy from Agbonlahor, who is only fit enough to be be named among the substitutes because of his shoulder problem. Bolton boss Owen Coyle brings striker David Ngog into the side in place of Kevin Davies in the only change from the side which drew with Swansea.

If you fancy a bet on tonight's action, Sky Bet go 10/11 the home win with the draw 12/5 and Bolton out at 3/1.

Our referee tonight is Chris Foy.

Bolton: Bogdan, Steinsson, Ream, Wheater, Ricketts, Miyaichi, Reo-Coker, Mark Davies, Petrov, Eagles, Ngog. Subs: Jaaskelainen, Alonso, Knight, Kevin Davies, Klasnic, Sordell, Vela.

Aston Villa line up as follows: Given, Hutton, Cuellar, Baker, Lichaj, Albrighton, Herd, Warnock, N'Zogbia, Heskey, Weimann. Subs: Guzan, Agbonlahor, Delfouneso, Clark, Bannan, Gardner, Carruthers.

Good evening and welcome to our coverage of what I'm sure those tuning in will regard as the big match of the night no matter what is going on at the Nou Camp. Reece Killworth here to steer you through what could be a crunch clash at the wrong end of the Premier League so get your emails in to me on reece.killworth@bskyb.com

Premier League Fixtures

Sunday, 28 December 2014
Tottenham v Man Utd
So'ton v Chelsea
A Villa v S'land
Hull City v Leicester
Man City v Burnley
QPR v C Palace
Stoke v W Brom
West Ham v Arsenal
Newcastle v Everton
Monday, 29 December 2014
Liverpool v Swansea
Thursday, 01 January 2015
Stoke v Man Utd  
A Villa v C Palace  

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