Villa battle past Everton

Aston Villa have notched an impressive three points as they battled to a 2-0 victory over Everton. Martin O'Neill's side have now battled their way up to eighth, equal on points with Everton but with a game in hand.

John Carew got the ball rolling in the fourteenth minute as he found the back of the net, making room in the box before firing a low, right footed past Stefan Wessels in the visitors goal.

The game started off in a very lively fashion and Carew's goal was completely against the run of play and Everton would have felt unlikely to be 1-0 down so early on.

The game really did turn a battle and tackles flew in all over the place. Ashley Young went close late on into the first half.

Into the second half the goalscorer John Carew picked up an injury which meant he needed to be replaced.

Everton mounted a spell of pressure and Leon Osman really should have scored, but fired his ball over the bar from a short distance.

The game was pretty much over as Aston Villa went 2-0 up as Gaby Agbonlahor took the ball down well from Carson's long ball before turning and blasting the ball past a helpless Wessels.

Aston Villa: Scott Carson, Wilfred Bouma, Zat Knight, Martin Laursen, Olof Mellberg, Gareth Barry, Nigel Reo-Coker, Gabriel Agbonlahor, John Carew, Luke Moore, Ashley Young.

Substitutes: Stuart Taylor, Curtis Davies, Craig Gardner, Shaun Maloney, Marlon Harewood.

Everton: Stefan Wessels, Leighton Baines, Tony Hibbert, Joleon Lescott, Phil Neville, Joseph Yobo, Phil Jagielka, Leon Osman, Steven Pienaar, Victor Anichebe, Andrew Johnson.

Substitutes: John Ruddy, Jorge Nuno Valente, Lee Carsley, James McFadden, Ayegbeni Yakubu.