All Football

Aston Villa 0-2 Wigan Athletic

Wigan Athletic secured a magnificent 2-0 victory away to Aston Villa to secure their Premiership safety, while defeat for Martin O?Neill?s men means fifth-placed Everton are firm-favourites to secure the UEFA Cup spot.

Europe or Safety?

Europe-chasing Aston Villa welcomed Steve Bruce?s Wigan Athletic to Villa Park looking to replace Everton in fifth-place with just one game remaining.

The Merseysiders face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday and Villa were well aware that a victory could put UEFA Cup-qualification in their hands courtesy of a superior goal-difference over David Moyes? men.

The visitors themselves were seeking at least a draw which would secure their safety after an impressive four-game unbeaten run.

With all the other relegation-threatened sides in action, The Latics could see an end to their season-long battle with the drop in sight.

First-Half

Having scored seventeen goals in their last four games, the Villa front-line were high on confidence going in to the game and it was they who threatened to break the deadlock early on.

Paul Scharner lingered on the ball, almost allowing the on-form Gabriel Abgonlahor to snatch possession and advance on goal, but the Wigan defender recovered his composure in the last second to clear.

In what was a slow start to the match, Michael Brown had The Latics? first opportunity on goal, collecting the ball twenty-yards from goal but his rushed effort lacked the power and precision to trouble Scott Carson.

The visitors, though, could have easily taken the lead after fifteen minutes as the Villa defence struggled to clear the ball from their penalty area. The ensuing melee saw shots from Scharner and Titus Bramble eventually blocked before the ball was cleared to touch to the relief of the home support.

Martin O?Neill?s men had their first clear-cut chance of the game after eighteen minutes as Ashley Young floated in a free-kick and Zat Knight rose above the Wigan players to head towards goal. Kirkland did his England chances no harm as he stopped the shot with a firm pair of hands and held on to the ball

Villa captain Gareth Barry, who has been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool during the summer, had another chance for the home-side, connecting with Wilfred Bouma?s cross and drawing a fine save from Kirkland once again. As it turned out, the goal would have been disallowed as the midfielder was adjudged to have handballed prior to heading it.

Agbonlahor?s pace is becoming a key feature of Villa?s attack and it was his lightning-speed that broke Wigan?s offside trap only for the youngster to scuff his shot wayward.

Both sides continued to struggle to carve any real openings, cancelling each other out in a close-midfield battle, though Agbonlahor went close to amending his earlier miss five minutes before the interval. Young?s cross was met by his England compatriot who headed firmly towards Wigan?s goal but Kirkland was on hand once again to deny the opposition, tipping the effort on to the crossbar.

An uneventful first-half was drawn to a close by Rob Styles with neither side looking particularly potent in front of goal, though O?Neill?s men had gone closest to breaking the deadlock through Agbonlahor and Knight.

Second-Half

The teams re-emerged from the changing rooms and almost immediately the home-side went close to breaking the deadlock, an off-target Barry cross sailing over Kirkland which forced the former-Liverpool man to track back and flick the ball over his bar.

It took another inadvertent effort to finally break the deadlock as Wigan stole the lead. Antonio Valencia rifled a right-footed shot towards goal which deflected off Bouma and flew over the helpless Carson, with Bruce and his staff erupting in celebration on the touchline.

The goal stung the hosts into life, and Barry again went close to scoring, unleashing a shot with his weaker right-foot which sailed just inches over the bar.

Wigan, though, had safety in their sight and were not prepared to relinquish the three points. Valencia, whose impressive form for the Lancashire-club has caught the attention of Manchester United and Everton, latched on to Emile Heskey?s flicked pass before firing passed Carson with the outside of his foot.

The game was descending into a real jousting battle as Wigan looked to defend their lead and O?Neill?s side pressed forward, with Kirkland pulling off an incredible save to deny an Agbonlahor header once again.

Valencia was having the game of his life for Wigan and could and perhaps should have sealed his hat-trick with twenty-minutes of the game remaining. Brown slipped a ball through to the Ecuador-international, but Carson did well to get down low to deny him.

John Carew, who had been largely anonymous throughout the game, wasted a glaring opportunity to pull a goal back for Villa, Stiliyan Petrov playing a pinpoint pass to the giant Norwegian striker but he seemed to lose his concentration at the crucial moment, mis-timing the header.

The effort was the last purposeful act of the game, and with many of the Villa fans already leaving the stadium in disappointment, Styles blew the final whistle to trigger mass Wigan celebrations in the stands and on the touchline.

The win secures Wigan?s place in the Premiership once again, a magnificent achievement by Bruce and his players who looked condemned to relegation at several points in the season.

O?Neill will be disappointed that his side failed to see off their lower-placed opposition, thus handing control of fifth-place back to Everton who can now lose against Arsenal on Sunday and remain three points clear of the Midland-club.

TEAMS

Villa: Carson, Mellberg, Laursen, Knight (Berger, 60?), Bouma (Harewood, 69?), Young, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Barry, Carew, Agbonlahor. Subs: Taylor, Routledge, Salifou

Wigan: Kirkland, Boyce, Bramble, Scharner, Kilbane, Valencia, Brown, Palacios (Skoko, 90?), Koumas, Heskey (Sibierski, 89?), Bent (King, 77?). Subs: Pollitt, Taylor

Goals

Valencia, 52? (Aston Villa 0 ? 1 Wigan Athletic)

Valencia, 62? (Aston Villa 0 ? 2 Wigan Athletic)

Referee: Rob Styles

William Wood

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