ASTON VILLA v WEST BROMWICH ALBION
Barclays Premier League Sunday 30th September 2012,
4pm Villa Park
TEAM
NEWS
Albion
Right-back Steven Reid misses out for the fourth successive game due to a
hamstring injury but James Morrison has returned to training after missing the
midweek clash with Liverpool and is expected to be fit.
Peter Odemwingie will not feature as he completes his three match suspension
following his sending-off at Fulham a fortnight ago.
Former Villa defender Liam Ridgewell should be fit despite
being forced off against
Liverpool with a calf injury and Goran Popov could finally make his
Albion debut after
returning to training following a groin problem.
Keeper Boaz Myhill will be sidelined for at least a fortnight
after undergoing a minor operation on his thumb so Luke Daniels will provide
back-up to Ben Foster on the bench.
Winger Jerome Thomas is still missing following a knee
operation.
Squad from: Foster, Daniels, McAuley, Olsson,
Ridgewell, Popov, Jones, Dawson, Yacob, Mulumbu, Morrison, Gera, Lukaku, Brunt,
El Ghanassy, Long, Jara, Fortune, Rosenberg, Dorrans, Tamas, Thorne, Hurst.
Aston Villa
Stephen Ireland (wrist), Richard Dunne (groin) and
Gary Gardner (knee) are all ruled out but Australian winger Brett Holman could
return following the knee injury that forced him to miss Tuesday's cup win
against Manchester City.
Recent signing Joe Bennett is doubtful after
picking up a knock against City.
Squad from: Guzan, Vlaar, Clark, Lowton, Lichaj, El
Ahmadi, Delph, Holman, Agbonlahor, Bent, Benteke,
Given, N'Zogbia, Weimann, Bannan, Albrighton, Burke, Herd,
Baker, Bowery, Westwood, Williams, Bennett.
QUOTES
Baggies' defender Liam Ridgewell:
“It is a special game personally. You are playing Villa, a
big club, who have been around a long time, and we are looking to try and get a
good result.
“The rivalry has always been there for everyone, I know, I've got
Albion, Blues and Villa mates.
It is a big game everyone wants to do well in. They are just down the road.
That's the main thing about it, like Liverpool-Everton.
“We will go there with good confidence and show how good we are. We wanted to
finish as high as possible last season and I'm sure for the fans it was nice to
finish above Villa. But we are just taking it as another game against Villa - we
want to win and do well against them.”
www.wba.co.uk
Villa manager Paul Lambert:
"I think
Villa Park will be jam-packed. Sunday will be a great atmosphere
because of what happened on Tuesday and the last home game against
Swansea. I know they will come
and back us after the other night.
"You can sense the fans are up for it as they were against
Manchester
City
in that bad weather and the long journey they had. They were brilliant against
Southampton and the last home game against Swansea was absolutely bouncing. I
think this will be better. This will be something I'm looking forward to seeing!
"I love these games and the pressure of them. I can't wait. I
know how important it is for fans - any derby game. They are vital. When it's
your own derby in your own backyard you definitely want to win it. I know how
important it is for the fans to get one over on their rivals. We will go and try
to win."
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MATCH
ODDS
Result
Albion Win: 15/8, Aston Villa Win: 7/5, Draw:
23/10.
First Goalscorer Bent 5/1,
Agbonlahor 6/1, Benteke 6/1, Long 6/1, Weimann 7/1, Lukaku 7/1, Bowery 8/1,
Burke 8/1, N'Zogbia 8/1, Fortune 9/1, Rosenberg 9/1, Holman 12/1, Brunt 12/1,
Dorrans 12/1, Gera 12/1, Morrison 12/1, Albrighton 14/1, El Ghanassy 14/1.
REFEREE
Anthony Taylor (Manchester) - Refereed two Albion games last season
and both ended in victories for the Baggies - The 3-2 win at Newcastle United in
December and the 2-1 win at Stoke City in January.
TICKET INFORMATION
Albion's allocation of 2,800 tickets for the game
have now completely sold out.
WEATHER FORECAST
Cloudy with a 20% chance of rain, 14°C.
FIXTURE HISTORY
The first ever game between the famous old clubs came in
December 1882 when they met in a second round Staffordshire Cup match at Perry
Barr, a game that ended in a 3-3 draw. George Bell (2) and Harry Aston were the
Albion goalscorers.
The first league meetings took place during the inaugural
Football League season of 1888/89. The first game, played at Perry Barr on
January 19, ended in a 2-0 defeat for the Baggies, Dennis Hodgetts and
Albert Allen the Villa goalscorers. The return match at Stoney Lane
a week later saw the two teams share six goals in a 3-3 draw, Tom Pearson
and the aforementioned Allen scoring two goals each.
Albion’s biggest win against
Villa is 7-0 which came in a First Division match at
Villa Park on October 19, 1935. W.G. Richardson scored four of
the visitors' goals with Stan Wood, Jack Mahon and Jack Sankey the others on the
scoresheet.
Other big wins for the Baggies include 6-2 at The Hawthorns
in 1926/27 and 6-1 in a League Cup tie, again at The Hawthorns, in September
1966. Midfielder Bobby Hope scored three of the Albion goals in the
latter match.
Villa’s biggest win against Albion is 7-1, achieved in
a First Division game during the 1898/99 season. Bill Garraty, who would later
join the Baggies, scored a hat-trick.
Villa have also recorded a 6-3 win at Stoney Lane in
October 1893, and a 6-1 victory at Villa Park in a First Division game in April
1954.
Albion are unbeaten in their
last three games against Villa, winning two and drawing one. Prior to the first
of those victories in April 2011, the Baggies had gone 17 league and cup games
without a win against their old rivals.
Strangely, six of the last eight games between the two sides
have ended in a 2-1 scoreline.
LAST LEAGUE MEETING
Albion
0-0 Aston Villa Barclays Premier League Saturday 28th April 2012,
3:00pm
Albion: Foster, Jones, McAuley, Olsson, Ridgewell, Brunt, Mulumbu
(Andrews 79), Dorrans, Thomas, Odemwingie, Long (Fortune 69). Subs not used:
Fulop, Shorey, Dawson,
Cox, Scharner.
Aston Villa:
Given, Hutton, Cuellar, Dunne, Lichaj, N'Zogbia (Gardner
74), Clark (Carruthers 90), Herd, Warnock, Agbonlahor, Heskey. Subs not used:
Guzan, Collins, Ireland, Bannan, Weimann.
Booked:
Warnock 36 (foul), Hutton 42 (foul), Clark 59 (foul), Heskey 62 (foul)
Attendance: 25,984
Referee: Mark Clattenberg (Tyne & Wear)
Aston Villa edged closer to Barclays Premier League survival
after collecting a hard-earned point against
West Brom at the Hawthorns. But
it needed a controversial refereeing decision by Mark Clattenburg to deny Albion
victory after Villa defender Alan Hutton clearly used his arm to block a
goal-bound header from Liam Ridgewell. But Clattenburg and his assistant failed
to spot the incident and the visitors survived to earn their 16th draw of the
campaign. Alex McLeish's side deserved their share of the spoils on the balance
of play and were again left to rue failing to be more clinical in front of goal.
Gabriel Agbonlahor, Chris Herd and Charles N'Zogbia all failed to make the most
of gilt edged chances and Albion's Ben Foster was the busier of the two keepers.
The return of experienced defender Richard Dunne after a two and a half month
lay-off with a broken collarbone also brought a steadying presence to the Villa
back four.
Villa looked full of attacking intent in the early stages and
Charles N'Zogbia found Stephen Warnock in space and his shot was blocked by
Billy Jones. But Albion nearly
caught out Villa during their first serious counter-attack. Carlos Cuellar
failed to make clean contact on his attempted clearance from Shane Long's
cross-shot after a determined run by the Republic of Ireland striker. The loose
ball broke to 11-goal leading scorer Peter Odemwingie whose close-range back
heel was blocked. The first clearcut chance fell to Villa midfielder Chris Herd
after 26 minutes. Dunne showed good control to the right of Ben Foster's goal
before sending over a low cross which landed in Herd's path. He struck his shot
firmly enough but it flew straight at Foster who was able to make the save.
Agbonlahor, without a goal in 20 league games, then used his pace to get clear
of the Baggies back four. But his touch was heavy inside the area and Foster was
able to block his eventual shot. Foster then blocked another shot from
Agbonlahor, whose pace was causing problems for Jones, with his feet. Warnock
became the first player to be yellow carded after 36 minutes for bringing down
Long who needed treatment before being able to resume. Hutton followed Warnock
into referee Mark Clattenburg's notebook after pulling back Jerome Thomas. Brunt
looked to handle a ball into the box from Hutton but Villa's penalty appeals
were waved aside.
Albion were incensed when denied
what appeared to be a clearcut penalty four minutes into the second half.
Ridgewell climbed above the Villa defence to power in a header from Graham
Dorrans' corner. Hutton, who had already been booked, appeared to scoop the ball
over the bar with his arm. But Clattenburg turned aside Albion's appeals. Albion
were looking sharper and Gareth McAuley headed just wide from a Brunt free-kick.
But Foster again came to Albion's rescue when he blocked a fierce close range
attempt from N'Zogbia after he was completely unmarked from Agbonlahor's
accurate cross. Tempers were becoming frayed and Clark and Heskey were booked in
quick succession for challenge on McAuley. Cuellar came to Villa's rescue when
he headed Odemwingie's shot off the line. Albion were now looking more dangerous
and Jonas Olsson was only inches too high with a header from a Thomas cross.
Villa probed for a winner in the closing stages and a mix-up between Olsson and
Foster saw the ball break to Agbonlahor. His cross was turned back by Heskey to
Herd whose shot was blocked by Olsson. Given produced a superb save with seconds
remaining to keep out an Odemwingie volley from Thomas' cross.
Sporting Life
CURRENT CONNECTIONS
Albion's current first choice left-back Liam Ridgewell started his
professional career at Villa Park after leaving West Ham United as a 16 year
old. Ridgewell spent just over six years at Villa before leaving to join
arch-rivals Birmingham City in a £2million deal. Ridgewell would stay at
St Andrews for four and a half years before joining Albion in January of this
year. Baggies' goalkeeper
Boaz Myhill started his career at Villa Park but failed to make a single
first team appearance. In December 2003 and after loan spells at a number of
different clubs the American born keeper joined Hull City on a permanent deal.
In July 2010, after having spent a hugely successful six and a half years at
Hull, a spell which saw him play in all four divisions for the club, Myhill
moved to The Hawthorns.
PAST
CONNECTIONS
Amongst the players to have turned out at various levels for
both clubs are: Albert Aldridge, Darren Bradley, Franz Carr, Scott Carson,
Andy Comyn, Paul Crichton, Jim Cumbes, Neil Cutler, Curtis Davies, John
Deehan, Jack Devey, Derek Dudley, Jimmy Dugdale, Lloyd Dyer, Ugo Ehiogu,
Albert Evans, Graham Fenton, George Garratt, Bill Garraty, Andy Gray,
Tommy Green, Willie Groves, Harry Hadley, George Harris, Tom Haywood,
Robert Hopkins, Steve Hunt, George Johnson, Phil King, Zat Knight, Arthur
Loach, Ken McNaught, Luke Moore, Tony Morley, Dennis Mortimer, Tom Perry,
Kevin Phillips, Tony Rees, Cyrille Regis, John Reynolds, Bob Roberts,
Riccardo Scimeca, Nicky Shorey, Jimmy Spencer, Nigel Spink, Kenny Swain,
Garry Thompson, Andy Townsend, Gavin Ward, Dave Walsh, Steve Watson,
Freddie Wheldon, Jimmy Williams and Charlie Wilson.
Ron Atkinson, Ron Saunders and Brian Little all
managed both clubs; Former Baggies' boss Ron Wylie played for and
was later a coach at Villa; Another former Albion manager Alan
Ashman later scouted for Villa; Brian Whitehouse, an Albion
player during the 1950s and coach during the 1970s, coached at both clubs;
Ex-Villa defender Allan Evans was a coach at The Hawthorns under
Brian Little; Former Albion full-back Stuart Williams spent a short
time as trainer at Villa Park; Paul Barron, who kept goal for
Albion during the early 1980s, coached at Villa during the 1990s.
ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS ASTON VILLA
VENUE |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Home |
78 |
32 |
19 |
27 |
121 |
107 |
Away |
75 |
19 |
12 |
44 |
88 |
136 |
Neutral |
5 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
6 |
Total |
158 |
52 |
32 |
74 |
214 |
249 |
LAST
TEN MATCHES AGAINST ASTON VILLA
DATE |
COMPETITION |
H/A |
F-A |
GOALSCORERS |
GATE |
Sat 28 Apr 2012 |
Premier League |
H |
0-0 |
|
25,984 |
Sat 22 Oct 2011 |
Premier League |
A |
2-1 |
Olsson, Scharner - Bent (pen) |
34,152 |
Sat 30 Apr 2011 |
Premier League |
H |
2-1 |
Odemwingie, Mulumbu - Meite (og) |
25,889 |
Sat 11 Dec 2010 |
Premier League |
A |
1-2 |
Scharner - Downing, Heskey |
37,015 |
Sat 10 Jan 2009 |
Premier League |
A |
1-2 |
Morrison - Davies, Agbonlahor |
41,757 |
Sun 21 Sep 2008 |
Premier League |
H |
1-2 |
Morrison - Carew, Agbonlahor |
26,011 |
Sun 09 Apr 2006 |
Premier League |
A |
0-0 |
|
33,303 |
Mon 02 Jan 2006 |
Premier League |
H |
1-2 |
Watson - Davis, Baros (pen) |
27,073 |
Sun 10 Apr 2005 |
Premier League |
A |
1-1 |
Robinson - Vassell |
39,402 |
Sun 22 Aug 2004 |
Premier League |
H |
1-1 |
Clement - Mellberg |
26,601 |
|