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ASTON VILLA v WEST BROMWICH ALBION
Barclays Premier League
Tuesday 3rd March 2015,
7.45pm
Villa Park
MATCH
NOTES
The game will be the 164th league and cup meeting between the two clubs. Villa
currently lead the way in terms of victories with 75 compared to Albion's 53.
Albion's last game on this date came in 2012 when a
Gareth McAuley goal gave Roy Hodgson's men a memorable 1-0 Premier League win
over Chelsea at The Hawthorns.
Villa's last game on March 3 also came in 2012 when
a Charles N'Zogbia goal earned them a point from a 1-1 draw with Blackburn
Rovers at Ewood Park. The club's last league win on this date came back in 1979
when Gordon Cowans hit the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Birmingham
City at Villa Park.
The Baggies will be attempting to record their
first league double over Aston Villa since the 1973/74 season.
Albion are without a win in their last eight away
league games (D5, L3). Another draw would make it five consecutive Premier
League away draws - a new club record.
Every one of the 17 Premier
League meetings of the sides has ended either as a draw or with a one-goal
margin of victory.
Prior to this game Villa have lost seven
consecutive league matches - their worst run for 52 years, and are without a
league win in 12 games - one short of their top-flight record of 13.
Villa remain the only club in
the top four divisions to not win a league game in 2015.
Albion's last six games: Southampton (H) 1-0;
Sunderland (A) 0-0;
West Ham United (H, FAC) 4-0; Swansea City (H) 2-0; Burnley (A) 2-2;
Tottenham Hotspur (H) 0-3.
Villa's last six games: Newcastle United (A) 0-1;
Stoke City (H) 1-2; Leicester City (H, FAC) 2-1; Hull City (A) 0-2; Chelsea (H)
1-2; Arsenal (A) 0-5.
TEAM
NEWS
Albion
Tony Pulis could be without any recognised strikers
for the trip to Villa Park. Saido Berahino and Brown Ideye both picked up knocks
in last weekend's win over Southampton and could join Victor Anichebe
(hamstring) on the sidelines.
Aston Villa
Ron Vlaar is available again after suspension but
is now doubtful for the game due to injury. Fellow defender Alan Hutton also
faces a late fitness test ahead of the game.
Kieran Richardson,
Philippe Senderos and Aly Cissokho are all missing through injury.
MATCH
ODDS
Result
Albion Win: 17/10, Aston Villa Win: 9/5, Draw:
2/1.
First Goalscorer
Albion:
Ideye 11/1, Berahino 11/2, Anichebe 13/2, McManaman 9/1, Sessegnon 9/1, Gardner
11/1, Morrison 12/1, Brunt 20/1, Dawson 20/1, Fletcher 25/1, McAuley 25/1,
Mulumbu 25/1, Lescott 28/1, Baird 33/1, Yacob 33/1, Olsson 33/1.
Aston Villa: Benteke 5/1, Agbonlahor 6/1, Weimann
15/2, Gil 9/1, Cole 10/1, Sinclair 10/1, Delph 12/1, Grealish 12/1, N'Zogbia
14/1, Bacuna 14/1, Westwood 20/1, Cleverley 20/1, Sanchez 28/1, Vlaar 28/1,
Clark 33/1, Okore 33/1.
No goalscorer: 6/1.
www.williamhill.com
REFEREE
Jonathan Moss (West Yorkshire)
Moss has officiated two Albion games so far this
season - the 1-1 draw at West Ham on New Year's Day and the 4-0 win at home to
Burnley last September.
He took charge of three Albion games during 2013/14
- the 3-0 defeat at home to Manchester United in March, the 1-1 draw at home to
Hull in December and the 4-1 defeat at Liverpool in October.
The West Yorkshire official last took charge of a
Villa game back in November - the 0-0 draw away at West Ham.
Moss has handed out 81 yellow cards and seven red in
the 25 games he has refereed so far this season.
A full run-down of Moss' history refereeing the
Baggies can be found here
TICKET INFORMATION
Albion's allocation of tickets are fully sold out.
WEATHER FORECAST
Cloudy with a chance of light rain showers, 3°C
FIXTURE HISTORY
 The first ever meeting of the two clubs came on December 9, 1882, in a
Staffordshire Cup 2nd round tie at Villa. In front of a reported crowd of almost
14,000, the game ended in a 3-3 draw with George Bell (2) and perhaps somewhat
ironically Harry Aston scoring the visitors' goals. The replay two weeks later
at the Four Acres saw Albion win with a solitary goal from George Timmins.
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 have lost just one of
their last eight league games against Villa, winning three and drawing four. 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, a sequence spanning 26
years.
In total there have been 164 league and cup games between Albion and Villa with
the men from Aston having by far the better record with 75 wins to Albion's 53.
A full fixture history between the two teams can be found here
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
(Click on game to view)
Sunday 10 April 2005 - Aston Villa 1-1 Albion - Premier League - Villa Park
Saturday 24 January 1998 - Aston Villa 4-0 Albion - FA Cup 4th Round - Villa Park
Saturday 17 February 1990 - Albion 0-2 Aston Villa - FA Cup 5th Round - The Hawthorns
Saturday 27 August 1983 - Aston Villa 4-3 Albion - First Division - Villa Park
Saturday 2 October 1982 - Albion 1-0 Aston Villa - First Division - The Hawthorns
Saturday 25 November 1978 - Albion 1-1 Aston Villa - First Division - The Hawthorns
LAST MEETING AT VILLA PARK
 Aston Villa
4-3 Albion
Barclays Premier
League
Wednesday 29th January 2014,
7:45pm
Aston Villa:
Guzan; Lowton (Holt 65),
Clark, Vlaar, Bertrand; Westwood, Delph, Ahmadi (Sylla 76); Bacuna; Weimann
(Baker 79), Benteke. Subs not used: Steer (gk), Helenius,
Albrighton, Tonev.
Goalscorers:
Weimann 12, Bacuna 25, Delph
37, Benteke 64 (pen)
Booked:
Holt 89 (simulation)
Albion:
Foster; Reid (Berahino
76), Lugano, Olsson, Ridgewell; Mulumbu, Yacob, Morrison; Anelka (Amalfitano
25), Anichebe (Vydra 80), Brunt. Subs not used: Myhill (gk), Jones, McAuley,
Dorrans.
Goalscorers:
Brunt 4, Delph 9 (og), Mulumbu 43
Booked:
Lugano 68 (dissent), Brunt 70 (foul), Berahino 88 (dissent)
Attendance: 36,083
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (County Durham)
Christian Benteke's second-half penalty settled a remarkable
West Midlands derby as Aston
Villa came from 2-0 down to edge a seven-goal thriller 4-3. A Chris Brunt
stunner and a Fabian Delph own goal inside the first nine minutes got the
Baggies off to a flyer at Villa Park but the hosts replied quickly through
Andreas Weimann, Leandro Bacuna and Delph. Youssouf Mulumbu made it 3-3 at
half-time but Benteke secured only Villa's third Barclays Premier League home
win of the season from the spot after the striker himself was fouled. The result
left new West Brom manager Pepe Mel still waiting for his first victory in the job. The
performance of his side's defence might also have raised concerns for a side
that has now won just once in 13 league games. In possession, they did arguably
have the better of the game in the second half but they could not add to their
tally.
Baggies captain Brunt lit the fuse for a remarkable night as
he fired the visitors into the lead after just four minutes with a superb
long-range strike. West Brom won the ball from a Villa throw-in and it was quickly worked forward to
Brunt, who flicked it up and then volleyed left-footed past Brad Guzan from 30
yards. Brunt was soon involved again as his quickly-taken free-kick released
James Morrison down the left to set up the second in the ninth minute. Morrison
crossed low to the centre and Delph, in his efforts to intercept, could only
divert into his own net. For a second time this season,
West Brom were 2-0 up against
Villa, but again they surrendered that advantage. Villa pulled one back after
just 12 minutes as Guzan went route one. Weimann was played onside as the ball
made its way to him via the head of a
West Brom defender and the Austrian took full advantage as he lobbed Ben Foster.
It should have been 2-2 moments later as Villa pieced together a slick move but
Bacuna side-footed narrowly wide. Foster then saved well as Weimann stuck out a
leg to divert a Ciaran Clark header goalwards.
West Brom almost had another as
Nicolas Anelka slid in to win possession and set up Morrison, but he curled
wide. Anelka - controversially selected after being charged by the
Football Association last week over his 'quenelle' gesture - was injured in that
incident and did not last much longer. He hobbled off in the 26th minute, just
as Villa celebrated the equaliser they had threatened. The Baggies defence was
cut open as Benteke found Matt Lowton and his low cross was bundled in at the
far post by Bacuna. The momentum was then all Villa's, and they went ahead as
West Brom failed to deal
with another long ball. This time Benteke won a header and Delph skilfully took
the ball around Steven Reid to smash in a shot off the underside of the bar from
the edge of the area. A fan tried to join in the Villa celebrations but alert
manager Paul Lambert ushered him back into the stands. West Brom were sloppy at
the back but they again proved they could be slick in attack as they levelled
before the break. Victor Anichebe combined with Morrison and Mulumbu went
through to place a shot through Guzan's legs.
The second half started in much the same open manner with
Guzan fumbling an awkwardly bouncing Morgan Amalfitano shot behind. Diego Lugano
should have put West Brom ahead but headed inches wide when picked out unmarked at the
far post by Brunt fromm a free-kick. Amalfitano went down after twisting through
the area but referee Mark Clattenburg gave nothing. Instead Clattenburg pointed
to the spot at the other end as Lugano wrestled Benteke to the ground. The
Belgian got up to rifle in his third goal in three games, further consigning his
recent four-month barren run to the past. Amalfitano tried to win another
penalty as he tussled with
Clark but Clattenburg booked him for diving. There was yet another
penalty shout as Foster slid in to dispossess Benteke but he was adjudged to
have won the ball cleanly.
West Brom applied pressure in
the closing stages but could not find a way through. There were complaints from
some of their players to Clattenburg, possibly over the penalty appeals, after
the final whistle was blown.
Sporting Life
CURRENT CONNECTIONS
Albion's back-up keeper Boaz Myhill started
his career at Villa Park progressing through the club's youth system. The
American-born Welsh international failed to make a first team appearance for
Villa and in December 2003, after a number of loan spells at different clubs, he
moved to Hull City in a £50,000 deal. Myhill spent a successful seven years at
Hull before joining the Baggies in July 2010 for a rumoured £1.5 million fee.
Baggies' midfielder Craig Gardner started
his career at Villa, making his first team debut in 2005. The Solihull-born
player joined Birmingham City in January 2010 but following the club's
relegation from the Premier League 18 months later he left for Sunderland in a
reported £6 million deal. He moved to The Hawthorns on a 'Bosman' free in May
2014.
Villa midfielder Kieran Richardson was a key figure during Albion's
'Great Escape' at the end of the 2004/05 season after joining the Baggies on
loan from Manchester United. He left Old Trafford in 2007 to join Sunderland
where he spent five years before moving onto Fulham. He joined Villa in July
2014 on a free transfer.
Scott Sinclair spent an unsuccessful 2013/14 season on loan at The
Hawthorns from Manchester City. The winger joined Villa on loan until the end of
the current season during the January transfer window.
PAST
CONNECTIONS
Amongst the players to have turned out at various levels for
both clubs are: Albert Aldridge, Dean Bennett, Darren Bradley, Chris
Buckley, Franz Carr, Scott Carson,
Chris Charsley, Andy Comyn, Paul Crichton, Jack Crisp, Vic Crowe, Stan
Crowther, 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, Dennis Jackson, George Johnson, Keith Jones,
Tom Jones, Phil King, Mark Kinsella, Zat Knight, Arthur
Loach, Christopher Mann, Ken McNaught, Luke Moore, Tony Morley, Dennis Mortimer,
Horace Parkes, Jesse Pennington, Tom Perry,
Kevin Phillips, Tony Rees, Cyrille Regis, John Reynolds, Liam Ridgewell, Bob Roberts, Riccardo Scimeca, Nicky Shorey, Jimmy Spencer, Nigel Spink, Kenny Swain,
Garry Thompson, Andy Townsend, Bert Trentham, Dave Walsh, Gavin Ward, Steve Watson,
Freddie Wheldon, Jimmy Williams, Charlie Wilson, Joe Wilson and Colin
Withers.
Ron Atkinson, Ron Saunders and Brian Little all
managed both clubs, Atkinson and Little also played for Villa; 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; Gary
Shelton played for Villa and was later a coach at The Hawthorns.
ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS ASTON VILLA
|
VENUE |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
|
Home |
81 |
33 |
21 |
27 |
126 |
111 |
|
Away |
77 |
19 |
13 |
45 |
92 |
141 |
|
Neutral |
5 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
6 |
|
Total |
163 |
53 |
35 |
75 |
223 |
258 |
LAST
TEN MATCHES AGAINST ASTON VILLA
|
DATE |
COMPETITION |
H/A |
F-A |
GOALSCORERS |
GATE |
|
Sat 13 Dec 2014 |
Premier League |
H |
1-0 |
Gardner |
24,684 |
|
Wed 29 Jan 2014 |
Premier League |
A |
3-4 |
Brunt, Delph (og), Mulumbu - Weimann, Bacuna, Delph, Benteke (pen) |
36,083 |
|
Mon 25 Nov 2013 |
Premier League |
H |
2-2 |
Long 2 - El Ahmadi, Westwood |
24,902 |
|
Sat 19 Jan 2013 |
Premier League |
H |
2-2 |
Brunt, Odemwingie - Benteke, Agbonlahor |
25,583 |
|
Sun 30 Sep 2012 |
Premier League |
A |
1-1 |
Long - Bent |
34,489 |
|
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 |
|
