Jonny Howson goes in too eagerly on Aly Cissokho and goes into the book.

A striker in form buries this. In the end Gabriel Agbonlahor's effort trickles wide, no-one's worried, and he should have done better. 

Leandro Bacuna drives the ball across goal (cross more than shot), Agbonlahor looks to divert home but can't direct it, not with enough power or accuracy. He never looked like he believed. 

Image source, Getty Images

Neither side can keep hold of this. In defence of the (mostly Villa) players, who've given the ball away so far, it does look a bit of a sticky surface.

A couple of speculative Villa efforts from outside the box are blocked, but after a nervy start the home side are starting to settle... 

Here's Villa's first spell of pressure. Gabriel Agbonlahor gets his foot on the ball and spreads it wide to Carles Gil, who bends in a cross to the back post... too high for Jordan Veretout. 

Poor on the ball again from Villa as Leandro Bacuna gets muscled out of it by Dieumerci Mbokani - the Norwich striker bears down on goal, tries to cut back to Steven Naismith but Villa have bodies back and can clear.

Image source, Getty Images

First blood to Norwich. The away side win the ball from a dithering Jordan Veretout in midfield and for a moment Steven Naismith has the freedom of the right wing, he cuts back for Dieumerci Mbokani...

It's very nervy, but Villa do just enough to clear, Micah Richards prods out a leg.

We are under way.

Here we go then, kick-off is upon us...

Final Score

Join us this afternoon as Jermaine Jenas and John Hartson digest the day's fixtures on Final Score.

Completing the strong spine of the side is host Jason Mohammad, online and on BBC Red Button now and on BBC Two from 16:30.

Bit of a sparse-looking crowd at Villa Park today. The club's lowest attendance of the season was against Leicester - about 32,000, which is around 10,000 shy of capacity. Could be lower than that...

Steve Wilson
BBC Match of the Day commentator at Villa Park

"Villa appointed Mervyn King, former Governor of the Bank of England, to their board of directors this week.

"Perhaps the appointment comes at an appropriate time, with interest rates at Villa Park apparently dropping fast. There were almost 20,000 empty seats for last weekend's FA Cup capitulation against Manchester City - and the City end was sold out.

"It took some doing to make Villa's week even worse, but Jordan Ayew managed it with his crazy elbow, external on Aaron Cresswell at West Ham.

"Since Norwich beat Villa and Southampton over Christmas and New Year they have lost five out of five in league and cup. Alex Neil will have identified Villa as the place to end the slump."

Twitter: @SteveWilson1967, external

Norwich City

Norwich City manager Alex Neil: "It is a big game but we have had a lot of them this season.

"Every game after this one gets bigger, it snowballs - regardless of where you are in the table."

Image source, PA

Aston Villa

Aston Villa manager Remi Garde: "Norwich is a tremendously important game. It will be the time for us to win. We have no choice now.

"We would have liked something at West Ham before the Norwich game. But unfortunately, that's football.

"The spirit the players showed at Upton Park was brilliant - it was the same we showed in the previous games. We will have to keep that."

Image source, Reuters

Aston Villa manager Remi Garde makes one change from the side that lost 2-0 to West Ham on Tuesday, with Ashley Westwood coming in for the suspended Jordan Ayew.

Aston Villa XI: Bunn, Richards, Okore, Lescott, Cissokho, Bacuna, Gueye, Westwood, Veretout, Gil, Agbonlahor

Image source, .

Norwich manager Alex Neil makes four changes from the side that lost 3-0 to Tottenham on Tuesday. Russell Martin, Robbie Brady, Gary O’Neil and Wes Hoolahan come in, with Ivo Pinto, Martin Olsson, Tettey and Matt Jarvis dropping out. Loan signing Patrick Bamford is on the bench.

Norwich XI: Rudd; Martin, Klose, Bassong, Brady; Howson, Mulumbu, O'Neil, Hoolahan; Naismith; Mbokani

Image source, .

Don't panic, don't panic! This week, our resident prediction guru Mark Lawrenson is going up against two of the stars of the new Dad's Army film, Blake Harrison and Daniel Mays, who are playing Private Pike and Private Walker respectively.

So, to find out who the trio think will be a stupid boy, who's doomed and who doesn't like it up 'em, head on over to Lawro's Prediction page.

How lovely.

Image source, Dad's Army

Mark Lawrenson
Former Liverpool defender

On paper this is a winnable game for Aston Villa against another struggling side, but I cannot tip them to beat Norwich and I actually think the Canaries might go there and win.

Prediction: 0-2

Image source, BBC Sport

A quick reminder about our predictor game - your chance to see into the Premier League future.

Up against Lawro for his predictions this week are Blake Harrison and Daniel Mays, who are both starring in the new Dad's Army film and desperate to prove they are not stupid boys. 

You can have a guess at the scores of all 10 top-flight fixtures this weekend by playing over here.