Summary

  • Both sides begin day in bottom three

  • Villa make four changes as Engels, Guilbert and Hourihane drop out along with the injured McGinn

  • El Mohamady, Nakamba, Konsa and Trezeguet all come into the starting line-up after Villa's fourth straight loss

  • Norwich are unchanged after Saturday's defeat at home to Wolves

  • Use play icon to watch Final Score

  1. Postpublished at 17:02 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2019

    Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich City

    Now you can click here to read my match report on today's game, as Conor Hourihane came off the bench to score the only goal against fellow strugglers Norwich and give Aston Villa their first league win in six games.

  2. FULL-TIMEpublished at 90+5 mins

    Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich City

    That's it. Villa stand firm in stoppage time as Norwich fail to create another chance.

    That gives the hosts their first win in six - and halts a four-match losing streak - while Norwich are now six without a win.

    Villa remain in the relegation zone but are now just two points from safety, while Norwich are set to slip to the bottom with Watford currently drawing at Sheffield United.

  3. INJURY TIMEpublished at 90 mins

    Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich City

    There's five minutes for Norwich to salvage something.

  4. CLOSE!published at 86 mins

    Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich City

    Superb reflex save by Tom Heaton. Norwich heade it down in the Villa box and Onel Hernandez smashes a half-volley goalwards from close range but Heaton somehow makes a diving stop to keep Villa in front.

  5. SUBSTITUTIONpublished at 84 mins

    Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich City

    Jota finally comes on for Villa, for Trezeguet. Hope he put his tracksuit back on!

  6. Postpublished at 83 mins

    Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich City

    Norwich substitute Marco Stiepermann has a shot blocked inside the box and the loose ball falls to Kenny McLean, who lashes over from just over 20 yards out. Was always rising.

  7. Postpublished at 79 mins

    Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich City

    But it's by no means one-way traffic, Jack Grealish has just headed wide for Villa.

  8. Postpublished at 78 mins

    Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich City

    Norwich win a corner, which finds Sam Byram at the far post, but he's under pressure and can only bundle it wide.

  9. SUBSTITUTIONpublished at 76 mins

    Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich City

    Now then. It's a triple change by Norwich, with Emiliano Buendia, Alex Tettey and Tom Trybull coming off for Marco Stiepermann, Mario Vrancic and Onel Hernandez.

  10. Postpublished at 74 mins

    Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich City

    Villa defender Kortney Hause rises highest at the far post and heads the corner just wide at full stretch.

  11. YELLOW CARDpublished at 73 mins

    Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich City

    Now midfielder Tom Trybull is booked for Norwich, for a foul on Jack Grealish in the visitors' half. The free-kick is cleared behind for a corner.

  12. YELLOW CARDpublished at 70 mins

    Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich City

    Norwich reply with Kenny McLean letting fly from almost 25 yards. And it's not too far away actually, his low strike fizzing just wide.

    Incidentally, it seems Norwich manager Daniel Farke was booked after the Villa goal. Must have been unhappy about something. Can't hazard a guess at what though.

  13. Can I play you every week?published at 68 mins

    Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich City

    Conor Hourihane has six goals and three assists in eight league appearances against Norwich.

  14. goal

    GOAL - Conor Hourihanepublished at 64 mins

    Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich City

    It's some more good build-up play by Villa and this time it's rewarded.

    Conor Hourihane lays if off for Jack Grealish, who throws a dummy to snake his way into the box before laying if back for Hourihane, who sweeps it into the top corner from just inside the box.

    What an introduction. The Irish midfielder's been on for less than eight minutes.

  15. 'Hard for Villa this season'published at 63 mins

    Aston Villa 0-0 Norwich City

    Pat Nevin
    Former Chelsea and Scotland winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

    It's going to be hard for Aston Villa this season but I think they have played quite well at various points - then you look at the league table and they are struggling. It's a real shame for Villa because the fans have been brilliant and have stood by them but they can't seem to get out of it.

  16. Postpublished at 61 mins

    Aston Villa 0-0 Norwich City

    Successive corners are cleared by Norwich but there's no doubt about it. This game has opened up.

  17. Postpublished at 59 mins

    Aston Villa 0-0 Norwich City

    Some neat build-up play by Villa results in Ahmed El Mohamady crossing towards Trezeguet but it's headed behind by a corner.

    That's greeted by a huge roar from the Holte End. That's woken them up.

  18. Postpublished at 58 mins

    Aston Villa 0-0 Norwich City

    Max Aarons whips in a cross from the right for fellow Norwich full-back Sam Byram. He's in spaces but sends his header back across goal and well wide.

    To be fair, it was a tight angle, and even if he had got it on target there was a Villa defender between Byram and the goal who probably would have blocked it.

  19. SUBSTITUTIONpublished at 56 mins

    Aston Villa 0-0 Norwich City

    Villa midfielder Conor Hourihane comes on for the marvelously-named Marvelous Nakamba.

  20. Postpublished at 53 mins

    Aston Villa 0-0 Norwich City

    Villa reply with Jack Grealish trying his luck from outside the Norwich box and Tim Krul palms it to safety. This second half is much livelier.