Everton against Aston Villa

Young hacks one forward looking for Harewood but Jagielka clears. Then Arteta wastes a chance to cross then loses possession.

Laursen gets up well to nod claer Arteta's free kick. Do we still have time for a winner?!

Now Ashley Young - perhaps in frustration at not receiving the ball from Harewood - piles into Lee Carsley and gets a yellow.

More danger for Everton as Harewood closes in on their area but fails to poke the ball wide to Ashley Young who was in the clear!

An unbelievable finish to this game!

As good as Carsley's ball was, Barry's cross was even better and Carew gets his head to it and directs it past Howard. What a game!

GOAL! 2-2!

What a well worked goal, Carsley to Neville, Neville back to Carsley, whose cross is superb - Nigel Reo-Coker loses Yobo and he hammers the ball into the net at the back post. What a finish!

GOAL! Yobo!

Everton change. Andy Johnson off, Victor Anichebe on.

Villa have gone back to a four-man defence now, rather surprisingly. It was three at the back before the goal.

Fair play to Martin O'Neill - he's having a right go at this and Villa just about deserve their equaliser. They really need the win though, and have ten minutes to go at it hammer and tongs.

It was thanks to a wicked ball in from Barry, right along the six yard box, and Agbonlahor gets a lovely little touch on the ball to fire it into the roof of the net. Double game on!

GOAL! Villa are level!

Good work from Barry, who wins a corner off Lescott.

Bouma is off and Marlon Harewood is on. Its all out for Villa.

What a strange incident! Bouma tries to prevent a corner but the ball hits the corner flag and stays in, then as Arteta headed towards goal he took it out himself! Very poor from the Spaniard!

Petrov gives an awful ball back to Mellberg who has to bust a gut to get the ball back to Carson before Johnson got there.

Villa's hopes of finishing fifth will be over if they lose this one - a draw still probably won't be good enough - so they need two goals in 14 minutes to save their European dream.

Patrik Berger is coming on as Zat Knight comes off. A positive move from Villa.

Martin Laursen shows us why he tries to avoid using his left foot if at all possible after shanking a clearance straight out for a throw-in.

Ashley Young is limping. Not sure why.

Carew bundles into Leon Osman and gives away a free kick. Everton's tactic has been to entrust their midfielders with challenging the big Norwegian in the air, allowing his centre backs to try and deal with the second ball. It has worked quite well so far.

Villa deal with the corner and Bouma smashes it down field.

Then Carson gets a touch on Areteta's cross to deny Jagielka. Another corner.

Then Everton clear and Johnson's cross is flapped out by Carson, who concedes a corner.

Barry's delivery is deep, Carew heads across goal but Lescott clears right on his line.

A silly foul to give away.

Ashley Young gets a bump from Lescott out wide on the right and Villa have a free kick.

Phil Dowd won't be on Yakubu's Christmas card list this year, nor the Everton Supporters' Club. They howl once more after his shoulder charge on Olof Mellberg is penalised.

Manuel Fernandes is coming off, and Mikel Arteta is on, to a huge cheer from the home crowd.

The two managers are prowling their technical areas, caring little about getting soaked by the persistent rain.

Now a Carew flick on forces Tim Howard to rush out and claim before Young nipped in.

Its a decent delivery from Young, Carew gets his head to it but it loops up and onto the top of the net for another corner, which Howard claims after another ugly scramble.

A Villa free-kcik falls to Barry after a bit of a scramble and he pokes it goalwards but Lescott clears for a corner.

An Everton corner is well cleared by Knight as Everton crank up the pressure.

Everton have their tails up and Yakubu sums up their new-found confidence by trying a pot shot from 30 yards, which he drags wide.

That goal has livened the crowd up too. Its areal cup tie type atmosphere now.

Villa hit right back and Young crosses to the back post where Mellberg tries to head across ghoal before Lescott gets in the way.

Yakubu feigns Knight and thrusts into the area; he cuts it back behind everyone but Neville runs onto it and his shot hits Martin Laursen and beats Scott Carson. Game on!

GOAL! Phil Neville!

The conditions are having a definite effect on this game - mistakes galore and sliding tackles aplenty have raised the intensity level too.

A Neville cross into the area flicks off Laursen and was on its way to Fernandes - who would have had a clear sight of goal - if Andy Johnson hadn't taken the ball off him instead.

Villa win the ball and break; Young slides the ball into Agbonlahor who crosses along the edge of the six yard box forcing Neville to clear. This has turned into a decent game all of a sudden...!

This is better from Everton. David Moyes has obviously given them a rocket at half time. Fernandes crosses and Mellberg concedes a corner, from it Osman hits one right at Knight.

This is better from Everton. David Moyes has obviously given them a rocket at half time. Fernandes crosses and Mellberg concedes a corner, from it Osman hits one right at Knight.

Johnson charges into the area but the linesman's flag goes up straight away - he just about got that right I reckon.

Carew is penalised to ironic cheers from the Everton faithful. Martin O'Neill shakes his head.

It really is hammering down at Goodison Park. It looks like a bleak January afternoon rather than a spring day in nearly May.

Expect more pressing from Villa in the second period, given that they really need to win to have a realistic chance of finishing fifth. Everton would be happy with a draw you feel.

We're off .... again ....

Peep peep! Half-time!

Poor control from Gareth Barry as Reo-Coker floats a ball over the top. He then shoves Carsley into the advertising boards in frustration and is lucky not to be booked himself.

Two added minutes to play....

Young whips in the free-kick and Yobo clears, before Agbonlahor is adjudged to have handled Mellberg's return ball and a free-kick is given to Everton.

Carew does well to get past Carsley, then as he slips it under Phil Neville the defender's hand blocks the ball and ref Phil Dowd awards a free-kick.

A lively half is drawing to a close, as the rain continues to teem down.

Now Lee Carsley is going into the book after a lunge on Petrov. It wasn't pretty but the conditions didn't help.

This is obviously a tactic from Everton; Lee Carsley contests the long ball's aimed for John Carew. How bizarre. He isn't doing too badly in fairness.

Goodison Park howls as Yakubu is pulled up for an elbow on Olof Mellberg. For a combination of the stray arm and some dissent, the Yak goes in the book.

A Villa corner is met by the fist of Tim Howard. The american gets good distance on it too.

Villa break and Reo-Coker runs 45 yards before Jagielka puts in a wonderful tackle inside his own box.

A nice Everton move is spoiled by the Yak who telegraphs his ball intended for Neville.

Villa have been bang on top in the last 15 minutes, and are playing some pretty decent stuff.

Unlucky Ashley Young, he tricks in and out of Neville and Fernandes, getting past both but the ball runs out of play before he can reach it. What a player he looks.

Young curls it in and Mellberg gets a flick on it but it is two yards wide. Had it been on target Howard would've been beaten all ends up.

Free-kick to Villa wide on the left after Neville piled into Ashley Young, who collapses in a heap on the floor.

Just looking at the replay of Young's free kick, the youngster thought it was in and was already wheeling away in celebration before the ball cannoned back off the bar!

More pressure from Villa as Barry swings in a cross which is a yard or two in front of Agbonlahor.

Ashley Young has hit the bar! A cracking strike, to Howard's side of the wall, but the woodwork keeps the scores level!

Great work from Olof Mellberg, he picks up a loose ball, cuts inside Carsley then toe-ends the ball past Jagielka before being clattered. Free kick 19 yards out, in line with the right hand post.

First booking of the afternoon, Petrov for a late tackle.

First decent move of the match from Everton as man of the moment Carsley bursts into the penalty area and cuts it back. Pienaar then dummies it before the ball runs just behind Yakubu.

Carew and Carsley clash again and this time 'little Lee' gets an elbow in the face for his trouble. Unintentional, of course.

Carsley again beats Carew in the air. What did 'big Lee' have with his cornflakes this morning I wonder?!

Neat play from Barry and Reo-Coker but Carsley interjects just before the Villa skipper could get a shot off.

Villa win a free-kick on the right but Everton play the offside trap to good effect.

Jagielka rises high to nod the ball away and then Pienaar clears into the path of Yakubu, who beats Reo-Coker, comes inside then forces Carson into a smart save, while Feranandes fluffs his follow-up effort.

Good covering from Yobo as Carew made a run down the right channel. Throw-in to Villa, level with the edge of the area. Carew is the target, obviously, and he wins a corner.

Stat attack part II: Everton haven't conceded more then one goal in a game this year. Wow.

We've seen plenty of blood and guts in the opening quarter of an hour, but no cutting edge as of yet.

Barry fizzes a ball into Carew's feet but his flick into the path of Agbonlahor was only a little too strong. Shall I? Yeah? Ah, alright then. HE'S GOT GREAT FEET FOR A BIG LAD.

Excellent tracking back from Nigel Reo-Coker who robs Leon Osman on the edge of the area after Phil Neville's cutback.

Lee Carsley beats Carew in the air, quite how I know not given the four foot height difference.

Cool work under pressure from Scott Carson as Johnson chases down a back pass, he feigns to clear and cuts inside before Bouma does the same to outwit the onrushing Fernandes.

Gareth Barry picks up a loose ball in midfield and fires in a shot from a tough angle but the ball flies five yards wide.

Agbonlahor wins the header and directs into a fiendish spot right in front of goal but Lescott hooks clear.

Now Villa win a corner, from which they are very dasngerous - 36 goals they've scored from set plays.

Yobo leaps into a challenge on Agbonlahor. Fierce but fair. Living up to his name there the Nigerian.

I should tell you the weather on Merseyside is awful. Its been pouring down for about an hour and the pitch is very slick.

Everton have started well - full of fire and determination. Yakubu grapples with Mellberg before Lescott's cross is blocked, then Osman breaks downfield and makes it to the edge of the area before dragging his shot wide, by way of a deflection - corner.

A touch of early pressure from Everton ends when the ball falls to the Yak inside the area but from a narrow angle he can't trouble Scott Carson.

Some early stats - the only teams to win at Goodison Park this season come from the top four, while Villa have only won away against teams in the top half once, at Blackburn.

We're off....

Villa are the form side, scoring a whopping 15 goals in their last three games as city rivals Birmingham (5-1), the hapless Derby County (6-0) and Bolton (4-0) were all sent packing. Sounds like Messrs Agbonlahor, Young, Carew, Barry et al are having a whale of a time under Martin O'Neill.

Only a few weeks ago Everton had their sights firmly trained on fourth place and a Chmapions League spot, but ever since they fell out of the UEFA Cup after a penalty shoot out defeat by Fiorentina, form has deserted them. One win in six games and a winning streak from their city rivals means they are now looking down rather than up - and if Villa win today they will pull level on points with the Toffees.

And the visitors, Aston Villa: Carson, Mellberg, Laursen, Knight, Bouma, Petrov, Barry, Reo-Coker, Young, Carew and Agbonlahor. Subs from: Taylor, Harewood, Salifou, Routledge, Berger.

Here are the teams, starting with Everton: Howard, Neville, Yobo, Jagielka, Lescott, Osman, Carsley, Fernandes, Pienaar, Johnson and Yakubu. Subs from: Wessels, Hibbert, Baines, Arteta and Anichebe.

Afternoon all. After a week of live commentary focusing on European clashes, the battle to get into those competitions next season takes centre stage today. Blackburn have already beaten Portsmouth today to push themselves up the table and nearer to the two teams who go head-to-head at Goodison Park today, Everton and Aston Villa.

Bouma is off and Marlon Harewood is on. Its all out for Villa.

What a strange incident! Bouma tries to prevent a corner but the ball hits the corner flag and stays in, then as Arteta headed towards goal he took it out himself! Very poor from the Spaniard!

Petrov gives an awful ball back to Mellberg who has to bust a gut to get the ball back to Carson before Johnson got there.

Villa's hopes of finishing fifth will be over if they lose this one - a draw still probably won't be good enough - so they need two goals in 14 minutes to save their European dream.

Patrik Berger is coming on as Zat Knight comes off. A positive move from Villa.

Martin Laursen shows us why he tries to avoid using his left foot if at all possible after shanking a clearance straight out for a throw-in.

Ashley Young is limping. Not sure why.

Carew bundles into Leon Osman and gives away a free kick. Everton's tactic has been to entrust their midfielders with challenging the big Norwegian in the air, allowing his centre backs to try and deal with the second ball. It has worked quite well so far.

Villa deal with the corner and Bouma smashes it down field.

Then Carson gets a touch on Areteta's cross to deny Jagielka. Another corner.

Then Everton clear and Johnson's cross is flapped out by Carson, who concedes a corner.

Barry's delivery is deep, Carew heads across goal but Lescott clears right on his line.

A silly foul to give away.

Ashley Young gets a bump from Lescott out wide on the right and Villa have a free kick.

Phil Dowd won't be on Yakubu's Christmas card list this year, nor the Everton Supporters' Club. They howl once more after his shoulder charge on Olof Mellberg is penalised.

Manuel Fernandes is coming off, and Mikel Arteta is on, to a huge cheer from the home crowd.

The two managers are prowling their technical areas, caring little about getting soaked by the persistent rain.

Now a Carew flick on forces Tim Howard to rush out and claim before Young nipped in.

Its a decent delivery from Young, Carew gets his head to it but it loops up and onto the top of the net for another corner, which Howard claims after another ugly scramble.

A Villa free-kcik falls to Barry after a bit of a scramble and he pokes it goalwards but Lescott clears for a corner.

An Everton corner is well cleared by Knight as Everton crank up the pressure.

Everton have their tails up and Yakubu sums up their new-found confidence by trying a pot shot from 30 yards, which he drags wide.

That goal has livened the crowd up too. Its areal cup tie type atmosphere now.

Villa hit right back and Young crosses to the back post where Mellberg tries to head across ghoal before Lescott gets in the way.

Yakubu feigns Knight and thrusts into the area; he cuts it back behind everyone but Neville runs onto it and his shot hits Martin Laursen and beats Scott Carson. Game on!

GOAL! Phil Neville!

The conditions are having a definite effect on this game - mistakes galore and sliding tackles aplenty have raised the intensity level too.

A Neville cross into the area flicks off Laursen and was on its way to Fernandes - who would have had a clear sight of goal - if Andy Johnson hadn't taken the ball off him instead.

Villa win the ball and break; Young slides the ball into Agbonlahor who crosses along the edge of the six yard box forcing Neville to clear. This has turned into a decent game all of a sudden...!

This is better from Everton. David Moyes has obviously given them a rocket at half time. Fernandes crosses and Mellberg concedes a corner, from it Osman hits one right at Knight.

This is better from Everton. David Moyes has obviously given them a rocket at half time. Fernandes crosses and Mellberg concedes a corner, from it Osman hits one right at Knight.

Johnson charges into the area but the linesman's flag goes up straight away - he just about got that right I reckon.

Carew is penalised to ironic cheers from the Everton faithful. Martin O'Neill shakes his head.

It really is hammering down at Goodison Park. It looks like a bleak January afternoon rather than a spring day in nearly May.

Expect more pressing from Villa in the second period, given that they really need to win to have a realistic chance of finishing fifth. Everton would be happy with a draw you feel.

We're off .... again ....

Peep peep! Half-time!

Poor control from Gareth Barry as Reo-Coker floats a ball over the top. He then shoves Carsley into the advertising boards in frustration and is lucky not to be booked himself.

Two added minutes to play....

Young whips in the free-kick and Yobo clears, before Agbonlahor is adjudged to have handled Mellberg's return ball and a free-kick is given to Everton.

Carew does well to get past Carsley, then as he slips it under Phil Neville the defender's hand blocks the ball and ref Phil Dowd awards a free-kick.

A lively half is drawing to a close, as the rain continues to teem down.

Now Lee Carsley is going into the book after a lunge on Petrov. It wasn't pretty but the conditions didn't help.

This is obviously a tactic from Everton; Lee Carsley contests the long ball's aimed for John Carew. How bizarre. He isn't doing too badly in fairness.

Goodison Park howls as Yakubu is pulled up for an elbow on Olof Mellberg. For a combination of the stray arm and some dissent, the Yak goes in the book.

A Villa corner is met by the fist of Tim Howard. The american gets good distance on it too.

Villa break and Reo-Coker runs 45 yards before Jagielka puts in a wonderful tackle inside his own box.

A nice Everton move is spoiled by the Yak who telegraphs his ball intended for Neville.

Villa have been bang on top in the last 15 minutes, and are playing some pretty decent stuff.

Unlucky Ashley Young, he tricks in and out of Neville and Fernandes, getting past both but the ball runs out of play before he can reach it. What a player he looks.

Young curls it in and Mellberg gets a flick on it but it is two yards wide. Had it been on target Howard would've been beaten all ends up.

Free-kick to Villa wide on the left after Neville piled into Ashley Young, who collapses in a heap on the floor.

Just looking at the replay of Young's free kick, the youngster thought it was in and was already wheeling away in celebration before the ball cannoned back off the bar!

More pressure from Villa as Barry swings in a cross which is a yard or two in front of Agbonlahor.

Ashley Young has hit the bar! A cracking strike, to Howard's side of the wall, but the woodwork keeps the scores level!

Great work from Olof Mellberg, he picks up a loose ball, cuts inside Carsley then toe-ends the ball past Jagielka before being clattered. Free kick 19 yards out, in line with the right hand post.

First booking of the afternoon, Petrov for a late tackle.

First decent move of the match from Everton as man of the moment Carsley bursts into the penalty area and cuts it back. Pienaar then dummies it before the ball runs just behind Yakubu.

Carew and Carsley clash again and this time 'little Lee' gets an elbow in the face for his trouble. Unintentional, of course.

Carsley again beats Carew in the air. What did 'big Lee' have with his cornflakes this morning I wonder?!

Neat play from Barry and Reo-Coker but Carsley interjects just before the Villa skipper could get a shot off.

Villa win a free-kick on the right but Everton play the offside trap to good effect.

Jagielka rises high to nod the ball away and then Pienaar clears into the path of Yakubu, who beats Reo-Coker, comes inside then forces Carson into a smart save, while Feranandes fluffs his follow-up effort.

Good covering from Yobo as Carew made a run down the right channel. Throw-in to Villa, level with the edge of the area. Carew is the target, obviously, and he wins a corner.

Stat attack part II: Everton haven't conceded more then one goal in a game this year. Wow.

We've seen plenty of blood and guts in the opening quarter of an hour, but no cutting edge as of yet.

Barry fizzes a ball into Carew's feet but his flick into the path of Agbonlahor was only a little too strong. Shall I? Yeah? Ah, alright then. HE'S GOT GREAT FEET FOR A BIG LAD.

Excellent tracking back from Nigel Reo-Coker who robs Leon Osman on the edge of the area after Phil Neville's cutback.

Lee Carsley beats Carew in the air, quite how I know not given the four foot height difference.

Cool work under pressure from Scott Carson as Johnson chases down a back pass, he feigns to clear and cuts inside before Bouma does the same to outwit the onrushing Fernandes.

Gareth Barry picks up a loose ball in midfield and fires in a shot from a tough angle but the ball flies five yards wide.

Agbonlahor wins the header and directs into a fiendish spot right in front of goal but Lescott hooks clear.

Now Villa win a corner, from which they are very dasngerous - 36 goals they've scored from set plays.

Yobo leaps into a challenge on Agbonlahor. Fierce but fair. Living up to his name there the Nigerian.

I should tell you the weather on Merseyside is awful. Its been pouring down for about an hour and the pitch is very slick.

Everton have started well - full of fire and determination. Yakubu grapples with Mellberg before Lescott's cross is blocked, then Osman breaks downfield and makes it to the edge of the area before dragging his shot wide, by way of a deflection - corner.

A touch of early pressure from Everton ends when the ball falls to the Yak inside the area but from a narrow angle he can't trouble Scott Carson.

Some early stats - the only teams to win at Goodison Park this season come from the top four, while Villa have only won away against teams in the top half once, at Blackburn.

We're off....

Villa are the form side, scoring a whopping 15 goals in their last three games as city rivals Birmingham (5-1), the hapless Derby County (6-0) and Bolton (4-0) were all sent packing. Sounds like Messrs Agbonlahor, Young, Carew, Barry et al are having a whale of a time under Martin O'Neill.

Only a few weeks ago Everton had their sights firmly trained on fourth place and a Chmapions League spot, but ever since they fell out of the UEFA Cup after a penalty shoot out defeat by Fiorentina, form has deserted them. One win in six games and a winning streak from their city rivals means they are now looking down rather than up - and if Villa win today they will pull level on points with the Toffees.

And the visitors, Aston Villa: Carson, Mellberg, Laursen, Knight, Bouma, Petrov, Barry, Reo-Coker, Young, Carew and Agbonlahor. Subs from: Taylor, Harewood, Salifou, Routledge, Berger.

Here are the teams, starting with Everton: Howard, Neville, Yobo, Jagielka, Lescott, Osman, Carsley, Fernandes, Pienaar, Johnson and Yakubu. Subs from: Wessels, Hibbert, Baines, Arteta and Anichebe.

Afternoon all. After a week of live commentary focusing on European clashes, the battle to get into those competitions next season takes centre stage today. Blackburn have already beaten Portsmouth today to push themselves up the table and nearer to the two teams who go head-to-head at Goodison Park today, Everton and Aston Villa.