Jordan Ayew is the fella likeliest to haul Villa back into this game. The Ghana international surges forward from deep, a host of yellow and green shirts trying to take him out. They fail, allowing Ayew to go left to Jordan Veretout. His cross is deep and wins an away corner.

Dieumerci Mbokani versus Ciaran Clark is shaping up as the individual battle of the day at Carrow Road. 

Norwich's number nine is being tightly marshaled by the Villa centre-half. The home side lead but have still only mustered one shot on target...

Right on cue, Clark does enough to flick clear another dangerous Norwich ball into the box.

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Time for a change. Remi Garde has seen enough, sticking up Scott Sinclair's number. The winger is hooked, with Adama Traore replacing him.

Close! Jonny Howson almost grabs Norwich's - and his - second goal of the afternoon. Brad Guzan weakly slaps out Nathan Redmond's 20-yard shot, only to be let off the hook as Howson guides the ball wide of his left-hand post.

Dear, oh dear. Beat. The. Front. Man. Terrible set-piece from Villa and the Canaries fly forward....

Villa go down the right flank again, Scott Sinclair playing in the overlapping Alan Hutton. This time Robbie Brady is penalised by barging the Scotland full-back. Free-kick for Villa in-between the corner flag and the Canaries' penalty area....

No change given by the Norwich defence. Ashley Westwood plants a ball towards the corner, allowing Scott Sinclair to stick on the afterburners. The Villa man is quick....but not as quick as Norwich left-back Robbie Brady. The Irishman wins the footrace as Sinclair clumsily knees the ball out for a goal-kick.

Pretty similar to the pattern of the opening stages of the first half. Villa enjoying more possession, but struggling to penetrate the home defence. Tight.

Image source, Getty Images

Oooh, Villa striker Jordan Ayew goes down in the Norwich box. Few penalty appeals from the Villa players - and rightly so. Ayew is simply outmuscled by Norwich defender Sebastien Bassong, who recovers to stop the Villa man going through one-on-one.

Villa don't hold on to possession for very long, Norwich pinging a long ball forward. Villa keeper Brad Guzan takes a dodgy touch, allowing Norwich striker Dieumerci Mbokani to race down his eyeline. The American swipes clear to his relief.

A huge roar greets the arrival of the home players, who are followed out of the tunnel by a glum-looking Remi Garde. Can't imagine the Villa gaffer is a teacup-throwing sort of manager, but I reckon - judging by his angry head-shaking - that he used a few choice words at the break.

No changes to either team - Villa get this show back on the road.

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Norwich only mustered one shot on target during the opening 45 minutes. One?! Correct, the one from Jonny Howson's right boot. Villa forced Canaries keeper Declan Rudd into a couple of saves as they lead the 'shots-on-target' scoreline. But there's only one statistic that matters....

Harsh scoreline on Villa. Probably. They have shaded possession, and territory, but find themselves trailing to Jonny Howson's crisp finish. 

Image source, Opta

The additional 60 seconds of added time passes rather peacefully. That suits Norwich down to the ground. Not so Villa. They need another rousing half-time rally from Remi Garde...

Villa defender Ciaran Clark tries to knock the ball back into the mixer from a deep corner to the far post. Another corner. Can Villa make this pressure count? Not this time. One minute of added time to restore parity...

Villa free-kick, 35 yards out, central position. They go short to Leandro Bacuna, who is quickly closed out by two home defenders. Corner to Villa....

Ooooh, Jordan Veretout is a lucky boy. The Villa midfielder lunges into a wild tackle on Alex Tettey after being crowded out by a pair of hustling Canaries players. Both feet are off the ground and it is uncontrolled. But, fortunately for the Frenchman, Tettey jumps out of the way. If he hadn't then ref Graham Scott might have gone to his back pocket for a red card...

Image source, Getty Images

Five minutes for Villa to claw their way back into the game before the break.

Image source, Getty Images

Norwich are warming up nicely now, getting into their groove like a teenager on the dancefloor. Graham Dorrans is seeing plenty of the ball now, trying to orchestrate another home attack. However, Villa stand firm and win back possession in their own half.