Aston Villa were denied a famous victory at Emirates Stadium on Saturday when former Birmingham striker Nikolas Bendtner levelled the match in the dying moments of injury time. Villa had gone ahead in the 27th minute after an own goal from Phileppe Senderos and created many chances throughout the match. The loss would have been Arsenal’s first at home all season and only their second competitive loss since the opening of Emirates Stadium in July 2006, but it was not to be.

Afterwards O’Neill told www.avfc.co.uk: “That was a real sickener. We deserved to win the game because we were brilliant all afternoon.”

“We came here and took the game to them. Obviously there were periods during the match when Arsenal had the ball, as they’re entitled to do, but we were absolutely magnificent.”

“Had we seen the game out, I don’t think there’s anybody in the stadium would have thought we didn’t deserve to win it.”

O’Neill added: “It would be unfair to single out any individual player, because it was that good collectively. The players were magnificent.”

“It says a lot that we’re disappointed coming away from Arsenal with a draw. But eventually the two points might come back to haunt us, hopefully not.

“But having played so well, we should have won the game. Their goalkeeper made some terrific saves to stop us going 2-0 up and seeing it through.

“We conceded late on here today, at Liverpool and at Tottenham. But then I think about earlier this season when we grabbed a late winner against Fulham and the same against Birmingham.

“People tell me these things level out over the course of a season – whether they do or don’t is no real consolation tonight.”

Line-ups:
Arsenal: Almunia, Diaby, Sagna, Fabregas, Senderos, Gallas Booked 30), Hleb, Flamini, Clichy, Adebayor, Walcott. Subs: Lehmann, Denilson (for Senderos 78), Gilberto (for Flamini 78), Bendtner (for Diaby 59), Hoyte.

Aston Villa: Carson, Bouma, Gardner, Laursen, Davies, Young, Reo-Coker, Barry (booked 80), Maloney, Agbonlahor, Carew. Subs: Harewood (for Maloney 71), Taylor, Knight (for Reo-Coker 32), Salifou, Osbourne (for Davies 40 – booked 90).

Villa have kept their dream of Champions League football alive with a 2-1 victory over struggling Reading at Madejski Stadium on Sunday. Victory was achieved through goals from Ashley Young (45) and Marlon Harewood (84), who again came on late into the match and made an impact from the bench. In the 32nd minute Cisse handled a shot from Gardner and Villa were awarded a penalty. Uncharacteristically, Barry blazed wide from the spot but fortunately it had no impact on the final result. Shorey scored a consolation goal from a well taken free kick for Reading in what turned out to be the final kick of the match.

Martin O’Neill told www.avfc.co.uk: “We were great. I felt that even allowing for the penalty miss there were goals in us today. We looked a constant threat and we’ve got some players at the top of their form.”

“It was delightful and we deserved to win the game, yet interestingly had Marlon’s goal not gone in, we might have been hanging on.”

“I think Ashley’s goal just before half-time gave us a deserved lead and compensated somewhat for the penalty miss. All day I thought we were a real handful going forward.”

“I thought our play at times was really excellent. It was difficult to fault anybody, especially in the second-half when we were very, very strong indeed.”

The Villa boss continued: “The build-up to Ashley’s goal was exceptional – and not a set-piece in sight!”

“It was great from Martin and Curtis dealing with a difficult ball. There was a delightful little bit of interplay between Nigel and Gareth. Gareth got it wide and we then got a wee bit of luck as the Reading player sold himself a little bit and allowed Gabby to come in to find Ashley.”

“Having said all of that, Ashley still has to put the ball in the net. He had to control it and as the goalkeeper came off his line, he had to direct it into the net. It was a brilliant goal.”

“Half-time came along and it was still precarious. In the second-half we created enough chances to have finished the game, but I always worried about it.”

“Then the second goal came along. Marlon’s impact has just been fantastic and the crowd have really taken to him – he’s taken to them too and we’re running short of shirts because he keeps throwing them into the crowd!”

Aston Villa are through to the semi-final of the Youth Cup with goals from Harry Forrester (pictured below) and Barry Bannan (pen) in the opening ten minutes.

Delfouneso, who has recently signed a professional contract at Villa, played well, setting up Forrester’s goal and forcing some fine saves from the Carlisle keeper.

Youth coach McAndrew told www.avfc.co.uk “I’m very happy and very proud. I thought the players were tremendous. We’ve probably played a little bit better before, but the commitment and the way they defended and put their bodies on the line was absolutely fantastic.”

“We’ve been talking all week about starting the game properly and trying to put them under pressure right from the first whistle.”

“I thought the first 20 minutes we played really well. We scored two goals. Harry’s was a great strike and the move for the penalty was very good.”

“We had two or three other chances, but Harry’s goal really set us on our way. I was pleased for him because he’s lacked a bit of confidence lately, but that will do him the world of good.”

“In the first-half we created a lot of chances and we could have had more goals. In the second-half they had nothing to lose and they had a right go. There were a lot of set-pieces that we had to defend, but I thought the heading at the back was absolutely fantastic.”

“The defenders put their bodies on the line when they had to and Elliot produced a fantastic double save just before half-time to keep us going.”

“It seems like I’m moaning if I say we can play a wee bit better, but I know we can. That said it’s a fantastic achievement to get through to the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup.”

The semi-final will be against either Chelsea or Port Vale.

Line-ups:
Carlisle United: Mitchell, Brown (booked 66), Duffy, Blake, Wordsworth, Aldred, Hindmarch, Wood, Madine, Cook, Tinnion. Subs: Dalton, Jameson, Lakeland, Seaton (for Tinnion 70), Dawson.

Aston Villa: Parish, Simmonds, Roome, Clarke, Baker, Clancy, Albrighton, Bannan, Collins, Delfouneso, Forrester. Subs: Bradley, Dau, Ricketts, Poyser, Grocott, Flanagan.

After going behind one-nil in the third minute courtesy of a Michael Owen header, Aston Villa had a laclustre first half and Matrin O’Neill was visibly unhappy with his players as they headed to the dressing room at half-time.

The second half was a completely different story for the boys in Claret and Blue. Olof Mellberg and Stiliyan Petrov were replaced by Craig Gardner and Marlon Harewood and the impact was almost immediate. Marlon Harewoo’s pace combined well with Carew’s size and strength and Harewood had a chance almost straight from the kick-off as Villa’s renewed attacking intent was made clear.

Two minutes later Bouma scored his first goal for the club from 75 games after his shot from 20 yards out on the left side of the box was deflected into the net past a happless Shay Given, who injured his groin attempting to save the shot.

Three mintes after the equaliser Ashley Young crossed in superbly for Carew who used the back of his head to slot the ball home for 2-1.

Carew’s second goal came in the 72nd minute, as Newcastle were unable to clear a corner after an ineffective punch off the line by Harper came back toward goal and a weak clearing header by Nicky Butt went straight to Carew who headed the ball home with ease.

Aston Villa finished the game in the in the 90th minute after Steven Carr hand-balled in the box in desperation challenging for a high ball against the much larger Carew who smashed the following penalty into the back of the old onion bag, claiming his first hatrick for the club.

John Carew’s was Villa’s first hatrick at Villa Park since 1995.

“We had to try and do something at half-time,” O’Neill said. “Once we got the equaliser it gave us the momentum to finish the job. “

“I am naturally delighted. It was fantastic stuff in the second half. I thought the first half was getting away from us a bit and there was a definite hangover from the Fulham game,” continued O’Neill.

“I thought the substitutes had a big impact and made a real contribution. They added more drive and determination to our play – but that’s not knocking Olof and Stiliyan who have been big players for us this season.”

The win leaves Villa in 5th place on 44 points.

Villa destroyed Derby county 6-0 with goals from James Collins and Wayne Routledge (first half) and Marc Albrighton, Nathan Baker, Nathan Delfouneso and Andreas Weimann (second half).

Routledge played superbly for 77 minutes after which he was replaced by Hofbauer and the signs are good that he will make the step up the the first team in the near future. With Young on the left and Routledge on the right Aston Villa’s already imposing attack looks to become less predictable and more potent.

Routledge has stated that he is “so happy to be at a club where so many players have good quality, and a club where a manager gives a player a chance. I just keep re-iterating: I am so happy to be here.”

“It is no secret that I didn’t play a lot at Tottenham. I have come here thinking I can play a part. I’m going to keep my head down and concentrate and hopefully I will get a chance to show what I am about.”

Villa Line-up: Taylor, Hogg, Lund, Lichaj, Baker, Osbourne, Routledge (Hofbauer 77mins), Salifou, Delfounso (Weimann 72mins), Collins (Albrighton 72mins), Bannan. Not used: Bellon, Bevan.

Villa started without Ashley Young or new right winger Wayne Routledge in Sundays late game against Fulham. MON started with Carson, Bouma, Davies, Laursen, Mellberg, Barry, Maloney, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Agbonlahor and Carew in the usual 4-4-2 formation.

Villa went ahead 1-0 in the 68th minute when former player Aaron Hughes turned a Maloney corner into his own net due to some heavy pressure from Carew. Simon Davies equalised for Fulham 4 minutes later, and after a Curtis Davies foul on the edge of the area, Fulham’s comeback was complete when Bullard struck home with a superb free-kick in the dying stages of the match.

The win was Fulham’s first since Roy Hodgson replaced Lawrie Sanchez as manager on December 30. It was not a good day for Villa, who lost their first league match since the 8th of Decemember and had Agbonlahor limp off at half time with a strained hamstring and Curtis Davies replaced in the 90th minute with a knee problem. These injuries seem to be short term, and with our threadbare squad lets hope both players will be back in action in time for the home fixture against struggling Newcastle on the 9th.

“I am disappointed for Gabby because he has strained his hamstring,” said Martin O’Neill.

“He will still meet up with the England squad because he has earned that right to go with the big boys but he would not have a prayer of playing on Wednesday. He went out for a moment or two before the start of the second half but he was feeling it a bit. But if anybody has deserved a call-up, he has.”

“But Gabby is the first one to agree with me that getting the call-up is great but getting into the England team and being brilliant are two different things. He is particularly disappointed.”

“Overall, I’ve been delighted with the players but today was an opportunity for us and we didn’t do well enough,” said O’Neill.

“I just thought we should have played better today. We were playing against a Fulham side that play neat and tidy football but who are lacking in a bit of confidence. We had gone eight games unbeaten so our confidence was high. But we didn’t play well enough, even when we got in front.”

The result leaves Villa in 6th place with 41 points.

Aston Villa are one step closer to a repeat of the 2002 FA Youth Cup victory having reached the quarter finals with a superb 5-0 hammering of the Tractor Boys at Villa Park.

Villa stuck to a 4-4-2 formation with Albrighton (midfield) and Delfouneso (striker) the stand out performers for the claret and blue. Here are villatalk.com’s player ratings:

Parish (6) – Not a great deal to do, but looked a little unsure on crosses. He would probably have made up for that with shot stopping, but there were no shots.

Simmonds (7) – I’ve seem him before in his one and only reserve appearance and he looked the same now as he did then, a promising hardworking defender with a bit of grit and determination.

Clark (8) – Probably the best compliment I can give him is that he looked older than everyone else. A calm, sensible, dominant defender with a very bright future.

Roome (7) – This is the first time I’ve seen the flat headed youngster play and he looked decent enough, good in the tackle and didn’t get caught out positionally.

Baker (8) – Another one I hadn’t seen before and a very pleasant surprise. Tackled anything that came near him and supported attacks well. He’s a good size and seems a good athlete. He’s one to keep an eye on.

Albrighton (9) - Fantastic tonight, he played in a huge number of accurate crosses from the right wing as ever and always looked a danger down the flank. What impressed me more was the work he got through defensively and his desire to win balls back. Chased lost causes and seemed to find most of them. He’ll still be wondering how he ended up with a booking against his name.

Forrester (7) – Busy and inventive, he needs to develop the art of finding a yard of space. If he can do that he’ll be able to dominate games with his range of passing and vision.

Hofbauer (7) – A good performance from our number one Austrian, he’s not as flashy as some of the other members of this team but he’s quietly productive from the middle of the park.

Bannan (9) – A goal and two assists for King Barry and he got better and better as the game went on. His passing was excellent tonight and he might have scored more than once coming in for crosses. The highlight was his goal, but there was much to be admired elsewhere. Barry makes this team tick.

Collins (7) – Not seen him before, but I know he’s our top scorer at this level and you can see how. He’s a big strong willing lad with a desire to score goals. Took his goal well, ran hard all night and could have one or two more. Promising.

Delfouneso (9) – This is the first time I’ve seen Delfouneso play at his own age level and he was superb. If you sat down and designed a striker, you’d list all the things he has; there really doesn’t seem to anything missing. He took all of his goals with a calm assuredness (think Anelka) bullied the Ipswich defence (think Adebayor) and worked hard at linking up play (think Drogba) and just to put it into perspective for you he was the second youngest player in our starting eleven. This young man can be anything he wants to be in football.