Two of the Premier League's bottom four met at Villa Park on Saturday as rockbottom Aston Villa hosted Norwich City, sitting just outside the drop zone after 24 games of the season.
Villa are still a long way off safety, but they gave themselves hope of mounting a late charge with a 2-0 win over the Canaries, who are horribly out of form and now in the bottom three.
Relive today's match with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
Bonjour! Just half an hour until kickoff in this huge game at the bottom of the Premier League. A win for Villa would give them real hope of mounting a late charge to stay up, but defeat for the hosts and they surely will have to kiss goodbye to their status as one of the Premier League's ever-presents.
It already seems that Villa have resigned themselves to the drop, though, having made not a single dent in the January transfer window. Manager Remi Garde was understandably said to be unhappy by the lack of backing from the club's owners, although the latest is that he will see out the season and not walk away from the troubled outfit.
Villa's lack of activity last month was one of things discussed on The Dugout this week. Hit play below to have a listen, or find out how to subscribe so you never miss an episode here.
Norwich, however, were one of the busier clubs in the transfer window, bringing Steven Naismith, Patrick Bamford, Ivo Pinto, Timm Klose and Ben Godfrey to East Anglia. Will it be enough for them to stay up? Their form does not suggest that it will be - the Canaries have lost four league games in a row conceded a whopping 14 goals in that time.
Right then, time for team news from Villa Park...
VILLA XI: Bunn; Richards, Okore, Lescott, Cissokho; Bacuna, Gana, Westwood, Veretout, Gil; Agbonlahor
Subs: Guzan, Clark, Sinclair, Richardson, Lyden, Grealish, Davis
Subs: Guzan, Clark, Sinclair, Richardson, Lyden, Grealish, Davis
NORWICH XI: Rudd; Martin, Klose, Bassong, Brady; Howson, Mulumbu, O'Neil, Hoolahan; Naismith; Mbokani
Subs: Ruddy, Jerome, Bamford, Jarvis, Redmond, Olsson, Pinto
Subs: Ruddy, Jerome, Bamford, Jarvis, Redmond, Olsson, Pinto
Starting with the visitors, Alex Neil makes four changes as he looks to put a stop to Norwich's worrying form. New loan signing Patrick Bamford is not one of them, although the Chelsea loanee is on the bench.
As for Villa, it's just one change from Remi Garde and it's a forced one too as Jordan Ayew, who got himself stupidly sent off at West Ham in midweek, is replaced by Ashley Westwood.
H2H STAT: Norwich have won only two of their 21 top-flight matches at Villa Park, and none in six attempts since a 3-2 triumph in November 1992.
Build-up video: Here come the two teams! #AVFC #NCFC #AVLNOR https://t.co/KScMOaawpt — Aston Villa FC (@AVFCOfficial) February 6, 2016
Let's just take one last look at the Premier League table, with Villa bottom and 10 points behind Norwich just outside the drop zone. By the way, look at Leicester, who have just beat nearest rivals Man City to go six clear at the top!
PREDICTION: Big game at the bottom this, but I can see it being a tight affair and am going to go for a 1-1 draw.
KICKOFF! The Canaries get us underway at Villa Park. Both teams in their home kits today, by the way.
Norwich have started the better of the two teams and threatened in the area, with Naismith's cross failing to find a teammate before Villa hack clear.
CLOSE! Today's referee is Martin Atkinson and he waves play on after Mbokani bundled into Okore and went clear. The angle was tight and he looked for Naismith in the middle, but Villa survive.
Villa's first decent moment as Gil curls over a cross from the right, but it's too high for Veretout at the back stick.
This is one of several 3pm kickoffs in the top flight and we have other live commentaries that you can find here if you fancy following more than one game. Don't leave here though!
CHANCE! Agbonlahor was close to leaving his boyhood club in January, but he's still there and leads the line today. His first chance is a very good one as Bacuna crosses low and Agbonlahor's flick at goal goes wide.
BOOKING! Atkinson brandishes yellow for the first time after a rash challenge from Norwich midfielder Howson.
UPDATE: A couple of early goals elsewhere, with Everton taking the lead at Stoke through Romelu Lukaku, while Gylfi Sigurdsson has curled Swansea ahead against Palace.
The game has gone really scrappy the last few minutes and looks like a proper relegation dogfight at the moment. Villa enjoying more of the ball the last few minutes.
This record seems unlikely to happen today: Norwich could equal a Premier League record by conceding three or more goals in five consecutive matches, set by Sunderland in 2005.
SHOT! Mbokani and Naismith have linked up pretty well so far, with the former receiving a pass from the Scot and quickly unleashing at goal. Bunn makes the save from Norwich's first shot of the match.
SHOT! This time it's Naismith who takes aim from a similar position. Well-hit like Mbokani's strike, but this one is a yard or so wide of the mark.
Villa don't see to have the same fluidity between their advanced players and in Agbonlahor, they have a striker who has barely played this season. There's not much to bring off the bench either, with Gestede and Kozak both injured.
CHANCE! Big, big chance for the Canaries as Martin's cross from the right reaches an unmarked Bassong at the back post, but he heads into the ground and over.
Free kick for Villa in a good position for Villa as O'Neil wipes out Veretout about 25 yards out.
Gil steps up but sends the ball comfortably over the top.
SHOT! Brady can be dangerous with his left foot, but Bunn is right behind the Irishman's goalbound effort and saves comfortably.
Neither manager will be particularly impressed with what they've seen so far
© Getty Images
© Getty Images
UPDATE: Bad news for these two as Newcastle go in front at home to West Brom.
Mbokani and Brady's speculative efforts from range are the only shots we've had on target in the opening 40 minutes. Unfortunately this has not felt like a do-or-die battle and really needs something to spark it to life.
Hoolahan looks to slide Mbokani through on goal, but the big striker is stood a good yard offside and that's an easy decision for the linesman.
GOAL! VILLA 1-0 NORWICH (JOLEON LESCOTT)
In the final minute of the half, Villa break the deadlock through an unlikely source. Gil's deep free kick from the right wing is met by the defender, whose downward header hits Klose to bounce past Rudd in the Norwich goal. Hope?
Just one minute of added time. What a time to score for Villa.
HALF-TIME: VILLA 1-0 NORWICH
A roar of relief goes up from the Villa fans as Atkinson brings the first half to a close, with Villa leading thanks to Lescott's header just a moment ago. Not a great game, but surely it'll get better for the second half. Stay right where you are, we'll be back in no time!
We're back for the second half at Villa Park, with the home side holding a slim lead thanks to Lescott's deflected header on the stroke of half time.
KICKOFF! No changes from either manager at the break. You wonder how long it will be before Neil brings on Bamford for his Canaries debut.
Early corner for Norwich at the start of the second half, but it comes to nothing as O'Neil fails to beat Agbonlahor at the near post.
GOAL! VILLA 2-0 NORWICH (GABRIEL AGBONLAHOR)
The hosts double their advantage and it's a first Premier League goal of the season for Agbonlahor as he shoots past the advancing Rudd with his left foot. The Norwich keeper should have held his ground there instead of rushing out.
It's just the fourth time that Villa have scored more than once in a Premier League game this season and in the previous three they have lost 3-2. Surely that won't happen again?
Villa players celebrate Lescott's opener before the break
© Getty Images
© Getty Images
NORWICH SUBS: Bamford on for his Norwich debut, replacing Hoolahan, while Mulumbu also comes off for Redmond. Norwich very attacking now and they have to be.
CLOSE! Cissokho's deep cross to the back post is met on the volley by Bacuna, whose effort flashes wide.
Norwich are struggling to cause many problems as they look to get back into the match in torrid conditions in Birmingham. The rain is hammering down at the moment 🌧
CHANCE! Here's a chance for the visitors! Naismith finds the run of O'Neil with a fine pass, but the midfielder's effort drifts wide on the stretch. Not easy, but he should have probably hit the target.
Much better from Norwich the last few minutes and they threaten again as Redmond produces a fine low cross from the right that's just too strong for Bamford sliding in.
CHANCE! That should be game, set and match! Westwood sprays the ball out to Bacuna, who wins a 50-50 against Brady to open up a shooting opportunity, but he blazes high over the top.
You feel that Norwich need something soon. There's still belief that they can turn this around, but Brady's latest effort is dragged well wide of the target.
Here's the moment Agbonlahor beat Rudd to double the hosts' lead
© Getty Images
© Getty Images
Agbonlahor with a chance to put this one to bed, but he can't get past Martin and get a shot off.
OFF THE LINE! Terrible goalkeeping from Bunn as he misjudges a high ball to leave himself out of position. Martin is there and heads past him, but Okore is alert and back to make a crucial clearance. Moments before Norwich brought on Jarvis for Naismith.
A corner for Norwich and it's a good ball in from O'Neil but Okore gets up well to head away.
OFF THE LINE! How has that stayed out? Norwich almost given a lifeline as Mbokani's shot takes a deflection before being cleared on the goalline by Lescott. The striker almost gets to the rebound, but Villa survive.
VILLA SUB: First Villa change as we enter four minutes of added time, with Clark on for Richards.
UPDATE: Bad news for Villa as Sunderland complete a stunning late turnaround at Anfield.
WIDE! Norwich refusing to give up here as Bamford stabs just wide in the final minute of added time.
FULL-TIME: VILLA 2-0 NORWICH
It's just a third league win of the season for Villa, who are still bottom but have cut the gap to safety to eight points. Lescott and Agbonlahor with the goals either side of half time.
As for Norwich, that's six defeats in a row in all competitions and they have conceded a whopping 22 goals in that time. Worrying signs for the Canaries, who drop into the bottom three with Newcastle winning today.
Thanks a lot for joining Sports Mole this afternoon. Keep your eyes peeled for reaction from Villa Park and for more live football, then you'll find Southampton vs. West Ham right here.
Written by
Pascal Lemesre
Pascal Lemesre
