FOOTBALL Live

Friday December 26, 2008 Finished Villa Park

2 - 2

Aston Villa

  • Barry 65’ (pen.)
  • Knight 90’

Arsenal

  • Denilson 40’
  • Diaby 48’

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  1. Villa late show stuns Arsenal

    Villa late show stuns Arsenal

    Zat Knight scored deep into injury-time as Aston Villa came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Arsenal at Villa Park. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Aston Villa
    • Arsenal
    • 90+4 The crowd are roaring Villa on for a winner but there isn't time, a draw is a fair result and the whistle goes. Cracking game.
    • 90+3 Arsenal have a corner on the right, it almost falls to a yellow shirt but cleared by Villa and the hosts break. Poor tackle by Barry on Sagna, booking.
    • 90+2 Throw to Villa on the right, swung over by Petrov, it spins towards Barry, comes off Sagna's boot AND FALLS TO ZAT KNIGHT WHO RIFLES IT INTO THE BOTTOM LEFT FROM THE EDGE OF THE BOX FOR 2-2!! ANOTHER LATE GOAL FOR VILLA! Again Arsenal throw away a two-goal lead. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.
    • 90+1 FOUR added minutes at the end of this match and Arsene Wenger is furious.
    • 90' Sagna with a throw deep into the Villa half, this is where they'll want to keep it.
    • 88' Villa are in on the right and Milner races on to the ball but Almunia flies out with two yellow shirts and they all collide and it's out for a goal kick.
    • 85' Ashley Young free on the left, a great cross over and Agbonlahor is flying in but flicked away for a corner by Silvestre!
    • 84' Ashley Young back defending saves Davies from a sticky situation and Villa build down the right. Barry brings it away and goes all the way across to the left, now Petrov in the middle tries a shot but blocked. Villa get a throw on the left but Barry took it from the wrong place.
    • 83' ARSENAL SUB: Clichy on for Nasri.
    • 82' Petrov gets booked for mouthing off at the linesman.
    • 81' Arsenal can't clear the corner, it pings around the box and Barry has a pop but blocked and eventually it's clear.
    • 80' Ramsey gives the ball away and Agbonlahor has it, he holds it up and finds Young who drills it into the box and it's behind for a corner!
    • 78' Agbonlahor almost gets in but it's half-cleared, Young now on the left but a poor cross, straight at Almunia.
    • 77' Reo-Coker and Van Persie have a little kiss after the latter hauls down the former. Both see yellow for being silly little boys.
    • 76' Diaby is down injured after fouling Petrov and rather petulantly refuses the Bulgarian's arm of reconciliation. Mason comes over and tells him to get on with it.
    • 75' Ramsey tries to be a bit clever in the middle of the park but luckily for him the ref views Barry's challenge in a negative light and Arsenal are let off the hook.
    • 73' Young zips down the left and whips in a cross that misses everyone and falls to Milner on the right, he takes a touch and rifles in a shot but Silvestre blocks and Arsenal survive!
    • 72' A belated yellow for Agbonlahor after he took a swipe at Diaby, who carried on running.
    • 69' This is a good spell for Villa, who are really turning the screw back on Arsenal.
    • 67' Wenger and O'Neill have a set-to on the touchline, which the linesman points out to referee Lee Mason who does the right thing and tells them to shake hands and be done with it.
    • 65' Agbonlahor is played through on the right, he's in the box and a crazy challenge from Gallas and it's a penalty! What a ludicrous tackle! He's lucky not to walk too. Barry steps up to take it and he thrashes the ball into the roof of the net, 2-1, game on!
    • 63' Great move by Villa, Sidwell is in and he plays it low for YOUNG WHO MUST SCORE BUT A BRILLIANT SLIDE TACKLE BY SAGNA! Still with Villa, Milner with a cross from the right and Agbonlahor is in but he fluffs the finish.
    • 61' Arsenal are really on fire now as Nasri wins a corner on the left, their passing and movement is taking Villa apart.
    • 60' Brilliant one-two by Eboue and Diaby again and Diaby is in but Reo-Coker gets across to clear!
    • 59' Arsenal come again, Diaby across to Nasri who leaves it for EBOUE WHO IS FREE IN THE BOX but a great save by Friedel!
    • 56' The corner is cleared by Villa but it falls to Ramsey, who takes his time and floats over a great pass for Van Persie but his free header is awful, well wide from close range. The introduction of Ramsey has made Arsenal look much better in midfield.
    • 54' Diaby with a one-two with Nasri, he's in and sends a shot off the post but it falls to Van Persie and his effort is put behind for a corner! This is more like the Arsenal of old.
    • 49' Abou Diaby is booked for enjoying scoring that goal with his own supporters. If celebrating a goal is considered provocation then surely scoring the thing is more likely to upset opposing supporters, who, clearly, are not in control of their own behaviour. By this logic we should book players for scoring goals.
    • 48' Abou Diaby with some good work on the right, a brilliant backheel to beat one man and release Eboue who surges forward and Diaby carries on running on the overlap, holds off Knight, picks the ball up and thrashes it past Friedel for 2-0! What a start for the Gunners! How have they done this after being under the cosh for the whole game?
    • 46' Second half underway!
    • 45+2 Great skill by Van Persie to control and turn in the middle of the park but there is no-one for him to release so Villa get it back. The whistle goes, Arsenal hold a somewhat fortuitous lead at half-time.
    • 45' Corner Arsenal but Villa clear and counter at pace but Arsenal are nothing if not fast and get back well in numbers to put it out for a throw. Two minutes injury-time being played.
    • 44' ARSENAL SUB: Ramsey on for the injured Song.
    • 43' Reo-Coker comes forward on the right he sends a high, hanging cross over which Almunia makes a total hash of and Agbonlahor loops the header on goal and it's going in but a bicycle kick off the line by Sagna which goes straight into Almunia's arms! How lucky are Arsenal today?
    • 42' Arsenal have some confidence now, knocking the ball about nicely on the edge of the Villa box as it's slipped wide left to Van Persie who tries a whipped cross but, as the only striker, no-one is there to meet it and it drifts harmlessly away.
    • 40' Reo-Coker tries to play the ball clear but Denilson closes him down and wins the ball on the edge of the box and the luck goes his way to send him clean through and he rifles it under Friedel for 1-0! How on earth have Arsenal taken the lead here? Bizarre goal.
    • 39' Gallas tackles Young but it's still with Villa. Agbonlahor could be in but he loses the ball and Arsenal counter. Sagna now on the right back to Toure, but he slips, Diaby now slips Nasri in but he can't shoot and Davies clears.
    • 38' The danger isn't over for Arsenal as Young almost does really well to dig a cross out for Agbonlahor but the visiting defence manage to clear. Van Persie counters but the ball runs away from him to Friedel.
    • 37' Young sends the ball far post and it falls to Davies with his back to goal who sends an overhead lob looping over Almunia AND IT COMES OFF THE CROSSBAR AND AWAY! What to Villa have to do to score?
    • 36' Toure clips Agbonlahor from behind, sending the England forward sprawling, and he gets a booking.
    • 34' Barry slides it down the left for Agbonlahor again but Gallas gets across to hoof it out for a throw. The throw is put back to Ashley Young who whips over a brilliant cross WHICH MILNER SLIDES IN UNMARKED TO CONVERT AT THE FAR POST BUT OFF THE WOODWORK AND INTO ALMUNIA'S ARMS! Almunia got a touch on that first, superb save and well-held off the rebound.
    • 33' Barry is penalised for a foul on Sagna. A mini-lull in what has so far been an entertaining half of football.
    • 32' Free-kick to Villa on the left which Young whips over but Knight fouled Silvestre and Arsenal have the ball.
    • 30' Petrov slides a ball in to Agbonlahor and he races through but the flag is up. That was close, Silvestre wide left seemed to have played him on when the pass was made.
    • 29' Good defending by Reo-Coker to hold off Nasri. It's by no means his natural position but he's playing rather well there.
    • 28' The free-kick is swung in on goal and Friedel has to fly through a group of players to punch clear but he does so effectively and Villa survive that brief Gunners rally.
    • 27' Young with a high boot on Sagna, who holds his face. Interesting, given the boot made contact with his armpit.
    • 26' Corner to Villa on the left that Young swings in and again it causes problems but scrambled clear!
    • 24' Petrov is furious after being stopped in full flight by a crude challenge fro Song. Yellow card.
    • 23' Petrov shows dissent after being harshly penalised after colliding with an Arsenal player. No card, just a warning.
    • 22' A bit of confusion in the Arsenal box as Petrov almost wriggles in but Gallas hacks it away from the hesitant Almunia.
    • 20' Barry puts the ball down the left, Agbonlahor races on to it, he cuts in from the wing and curls a superb low shot to the far post that Almunia parries really well BUT IT FALLS TO SIDWELL WHO MUST SCORE BUT A BRILLIANT BLOCK FROM GALLAS! Corner Villa.
    • 18' Nasri is in on the left but Reo-Coker gets back to slide tackle and somehow prevents a corner and works it clear with Sidwell.
    • 17' Arsenal under real pressure from that corner but eventually they get it clear. Villa launch another attack though, Petrov wide to Young on the left who drills a low cross in but too close to Almunia.
    • 16' Free-kick to Villa, won by Agbonlahor off Silvestre on the right, Barry is over this for the inswinger. He takes it short to Milner on the edge of the box but his shot is blocked and LUKE YOUNG WITH A BRILLIANT DIPPING DRIVE THAT BEATS ALMUNIA AND JUST GOES OVER! It took a deflection en route, so a corner to Villa.
    • 15' Good play by Villa to shut out an Arsenal attack and it's back with Friedel who launches it downfield.
    • 13' Toure almost plays his team-mates into trouble but Arsenal survive. The visitors break as Diaby robs Barry and it's slipped in to VAN PERSIE WHO'S IN but a superb challenge from Knight and it's out for a throw.
    • 10' Young with a corner on the left which almost finds Sidwell but Almunia clears, the second ball lands at Barry's feet and he digs out a superb dipping cross WHICH DAVIES FLIES IN TO MEET but he makes a mess of the header that goes sideways instead of on goal! Villa all over the Gunners at the moment.
    • 8' Almunia comes rushing out of his box and has to head clear, Arsenal still don't have the ball away and Petrov tries to put it back in but out for a goal-kick.
    • 6' Barry to take the corner on the right, he swings a superb ball to SIDWELL FLYING IN WITH THE HEADER OFF THE WOODWORK AND AWAY! Villa starting on the front foot here!
    • 5' Agbonlahor holds the ball up on the edge of the Arsenal box, it squeezes out wide to Milner who wins a corner off Silvestre.
    • 4' Milner on the right, he whips over a great near-post cross that Young is just too little to get and into Almunia's arms!
    • 2' Slick counter by Arsenal, Nasri runs inside and gets onto it before slipping a ball to Diaby but he mis-controls and, after some dilly-dallying, Villa clear.
    • 1' First half underway at Villa Park!
    • - LATE ARSENAL CHANGE: Johan Djourou injured himself in the warm-up so Kolo Toure is forced to start, despite not being 100 per cent full-fit himself. Of course Cesc Fabregas is out for much of the remainder of the season, so Manuel Almunia is captain.
    • - ARSENAL TEAM NEWS: Instead of starting with Carlos Vela in place of the suspended Emmanuel Adebayor, Arsenal are going one up front with Robin van Persie as a lone striker. Probably the smarter choice given how rampant Villa are going forward these days. Abou Diaby, Alex Song, Samir Nasri, Denilson and Emmanuel Eboue form a pretty tough midfield by Arsenal's standards. Mikael Silvestre's experience is preferred to Gael Clichy's pace at left-back.
    • - ASTON VILLA TEAM NEWS: The big news is that Gareth Barry gets the captain's armband back in the absence of Martin Laursen. He was stripped of that in the summer after going public with his desire to join Liverpool. Nicky Shorey is clearly not in Martin O'Neill's good books as he stays on the bench despite Villa having to play two men out of position to cover: Nigel Reo-Coker plays right-back and Luke Young switches across to left-back, which has been the vogue for Villa recently. Otherwise there are no changes, with Zat Knight continuing to deputise for the injured Laursen.
    • - Hello and welcome to the final Boxing Day Premier League match and boy is it a biggie! Aston Villa can extend their fourth-place lead over Arsenal to six points if they win at Villa Park: LIVE from 17:05!

  • Team Stats

    Aston Villa Stats Arsenal
    45% Possession 54%
    17 Shots 9
    6 Shots on target 3
    0 Saves 3
    7 Corners 6
    10 Fouls 11
    3 Offsides 0
    4 Yellow cards 4
    0 Red cards 0
    39 Tackles 30
    239 Accurate passes 288
    84 Bad passes 45

  • Player Stats

    G =
    Goals
    S =
    Shots
    SoT =
    Shot on Target
    F =
    Fouls
    FW =
    Fouls Won
    O =
    Offsides
    A =
    Assists
    AP =
    Accurate Passes
    BP =
    Bad Passes
    T =
    Tackles
    • Aston Villa
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      1 Brad Friedel 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0 0
      16 Zatyiah Knight 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 15 3 1
      15 Curtis Davies 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 17 2 1
      2 Luke Young 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 31 22 3
      19 Stilian Petrov 0 1 0 1 4 0 0 27 12 5
      4 Steve Sidwell 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 17 1 5
      6 Gareth Barry 1 4 2 5 1 1 0 28 21 5
      8 James Milner 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 20 1 5
      20 Nigel Reo-Coker 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 29 2 12
      7 Ashley Young 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 21 12 2
      11 Gabriel Agbonlahor 0 3 2 0 4 1 0 21 8 0
      21 Nicky Shorey 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      17 Moustapha Salifou 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      27 Isaiah Osbourne 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      14 Nathan Delfouneso 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      26 Craig Gardner 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      9 Marlon Harewood 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      22 Brad Guzan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
    • Arsenal
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      1 Manuel Almunia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0
      10 William Gallas 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 16 5 1
      17 Alexandre Song 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 23 3 4
      18 Mikael Silvestre 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 24 14 4
      3 Bacary Sagna 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 29 0 1
      5 Kolo Toure 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 18 0 3
      27 Emmanuel Eboue 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 37 1 4
      8 Samir Nasri 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 21 6 1
      2 Vasiriki Abou Diaby 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 33 8 2
      15 Denilson Pereira Neves 1 1 1 0 3 0 0 44 3 4
      11 Robin van Persie 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 15 2 2
      21 Lukasz Fabianski 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      19 Jack Wilshere 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      16 Aaron Ramsey 0 2 1 1 2 0 0 20 1 3
      26 Nicklas Bendtner 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      12 Carlos Vela 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      22 Gaël Clichy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 1

  • Summary

    • 90+2 Throw to Villa on the right, swung over by Petrov, it spins towards Barry, comes off Sagna's boot AND FALLS TO ZAT KNIGHT WHO RIFLES IT INTO THE BOTTOM LEFT FROM THE EDGE OF THE BOX FOR 2-2!! ANOTHER LATE GOAL FOR VILLA! Again Arsenal throw away a two-goal lead. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.
    • 85' Ashley Young free on the left, a great cross over and Agbonlahor is flying in but flicked away for a corner by Silvestre!
    • 73' Young zips down the left and whips in a cross that misses everyone and falls to Milner on the right, he takes a touch and rifles in a shot but Silvestre blocks and Arsenal survive!
    • 67' Wenger and O'Neill have a set-to on the touchline, which the linesman points out to referee Lee Mason who does the right thing and tells them to shake hands and be done with it.
    • 65' Agbonlahor is played through on the right, he's in the box and a crazy challenge from Gallas and it's a penalty! What a ludicrous tackle! He's lucky not to walk too. Barry steps up to take it and he thrashes the ball into the roof of the net, 2-1, game on!
    • 63' Great move by Villa, Sidwell is in and he plays it low for YOUNG WHO MUST SCORE BUT A BRILLIANT SLIDE TACKLE BY SAGNA! Still with Villa, Milner with a cross from the right and Agbonlahor is in but he fluffs the finish.
    • 60' Brilliant one-two by Eboue and Diaby again and Diaby is in but Reo-Coker gets across to clear!
    • 59' Arsenal come again, Diaby across to Nasri who leaves it for EBOUE WHO IS FREE IN THE BOX but a great save by Friedel!
    • 56' The corner is cleared by Villa but it falls to Ramsey, who takes his time and floats over a great pass for Van Persie but his free header is awful, well wide from close range. The introduction of Ramsey has made Arsenal look much better in midfield.
    • 54' Diaby with a one-two with Nasri, he's in and sends a shot off the post but it falls to Van Persie and his effort is put behind for a corner! This is more like the Arsenal of old.
    • 48' Abou Diaby with some good work on the right, a brilliant backheel to beat one man and release Eboue who surges forward and Diaby carries on running on the overlap, holds off Knight, picks the ball up and thrashes it past Friedel for 2-0! What a start for the Gunners! How have they done this after being under the cosh for the whole game?
    • 43' Reo-Coker comes forward on the right he sends a high, hanging cross over which Almunia makes a total hash of and Agbonlahor loops the header on goal and it's going in but a bicycle kick off the line by Sagna which goes straight into Almunia's arms! How lucky are Arsenal today?
    • 40' Reo-Coker tries to play the ball clear but Denilson closes him down and wins the ball on the edge of the box and the luck goes his way to send him clean through and he rifles it under Friedel for 1-0! How on earth have Arsenal taken the lead here? Bizarre goal.
    • 37' Young sends the ball far post and it falls to Davies with his back to goal who sends an overhead lob looping over Almunia AND IT COMES OFF THE CROSSBAR AND AWAY! What to Villa have to do to score?
    • 34' Barry slides it down the left for Agbonlahor again but Gallas gets across to hoof it out for a throw. The throw is put back to Ashley Young who whips over a brilliant cross WHICH MILNER SLIDES IN UNMARKED TO CONVERT AT THE FAR POST BUT OFF THE WOODWORK AND INTO ALMUNIA'S ARMS! Almunia got a touch on that first, superb save and well-held off the rebound.
    • 20' Barry puts the ball down the left, Agbonlahor races on to it, he cuts in from the wing and curls a superb low shot to the far post that Almunia parries really well BUT IT FALLS TO SIDWELL WHO MUST SCORE BUT A BRILLIANT BLOCK FROM GALLAS! Corner Villa.
    • 16' Free-kick to Villa, won by Agbonlahor off Silvestre on the right, Barry is over this for the inswinger. He takes it short to Milner on the edge of the box but his shot is blocked and LUKE YOUNG WITH A BRILLIANT DIPPING DRIVE THAT BEATS ALMUNIA AND JUST GOES OVER! It took a deflection en route, so a corner to Villa.
    • 10' Young with a corner on the left which almost finds Sidwell but Almunia clears, the second ball lands at Barry's feet and he digs out a superb dipping cross WHICH DAVIES FLIES IN TO MEET but he makes a mess of the header that goes sideways instead of on goal! Villa all over the Gunners at the moment.
    • 6' Barry to take the corner on the right, he swings a superb ball to SIDWELL FLYING IN WITH THE HEADER OFF THE WOODWORK AND AWAY! Villa starting on the front foot here!
    • - Hello and welcome to the final Boxing Day Premier League match and boy is it a biggie! Aston Villa can extend their fourth-place lead over Arsenal to six points if they win at Villa Park: LIVE from 17:05!

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Lee Mason

  • Aston Villa

    Manager: Martin O'Neill

    Captain: Gareth Barry

    Starting line-up

    • B. Friedel
    • N. Reo-Coker Yellow Card
    • C. Davies
    • Z. Knight Goal
    • L. Young
    • S. Sidwell
    • S. Petrov Yellow Card
    • G. Barry Yellow Card
    • J. Milner
    • A. Young
    • G. Agbonlahor Yellow Card

    Subs

    • M. Harewood
    • N. Shorey
    • M. Salifou
    • C. Gardner
    • I. Osbourne
    • B. Guzan
    • N. Delfouneso

    Injured

    • J. Carew
    • M. Laursen
    • W. Bouma

    Suspended

    None

  • Arsenal

    Manager: Arsene Wenger

    Captain: Manuel Almunia

    Starting line-up

    • M. Almunia
    • B. Sagna
    • K. Toure Yellow Card
    • W. Gallas
    • M. Silvestre
    • A. Song Yellow Card Substitution Out (44′)
    • E. Eboue
    • .. Denilson Goal
    • A. Diaby Goal Yellow Card
    • S. Nasri Substitution Out (82′)
    • R. van Persie Yellow Card

    Subs

    • G. Clichy Substitution In82′
    • N. Bendtner
    • L. Fabianski
    • C. Vela
    • A. Ramsey Substitution In44′
    • J. Wilshere

    Injured

    • T. Rosicky
    • C. Fabregas
    • J. Djourou
    • T. Walcott
    • D. Eduardo

    Suspended

    • E. Adebayor

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