Aston Villa welcomed Swansea City to the Midlands this afternoon hoping to continue their rise away from the Premier League relegation zone.
Tim Sherwood's side had won their last two matches to climb to 16th in the table, but could not make it three as the Swans snatched a late victory at Villa Park.
Goal-shy striker Bafetimbi Gomis squandered several earlier chances before getting on the end of Jefferson Montero's 87th-minute cross to secure the visitors three points.
Relive Sports Mole's live text coverage below to discover how the action unfolded.
Afternoon ladies and gents. Tim Sherwood has Villa Park buzzing with optimism again and his side will be looking to take a step closer to Premier League safety with victory over Swansea today.
Three successive wins in all competitions have sent Aston Villa out of the relegation zone, three points clear of danger, and into the FA Cup semi-finals. The dourness of the Paul Lambert reign is long forgotten.
Villa finally found their shooting boots against Sunderland last week, bagging four times in the opening 44 minutes at the Stadium of Light on their way to a crucial and comprehensive win. They had previously only scored four away goals all season and not more than two in any league match.
While the hosts have Christian Benteke and Gabriel Agbonlahor on the road back to form, the goals have dried up for Swansea's strike force since the January departure of Wilfried Bony, who notched his first goal for Manchester City this afternoon. Bafetimbi Gomis only has one league goal in 2015.
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Full team news coming your way from Villa Park. Benteke, Agbonlahor and Gomis all start...
VILLA: Guzan; Hutton, Okore, Clark, Bacuna; Delph, Cleverley, N'Zogbia, Sinclair; Benteke, Agbonlahor. Subs: Given, Westwood, Weimann, Gil, Sanchez, Grealish, Kinsella
SWANSEA: Fabianski; Naughton, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor; Ki, Cork, Shelvey; Routledge, Sigurdsson, Gomis. Subs: Tremmel, Rangel, Amat, Fulton, Dyer, Montero, Oliveira
Just the one change for either side. Alan Hutton is back from a ban and returns in Villa's defence. He may start at left-back considering the impact that Leandro Bacuna had raiding down the right at Sunderland.
Matt Lowton drops out of the squad altogether and Ron Vlaar also misses out as he battles for fitness. Aly Cissokho, Kieran Richardson, Philippe Senderos, Nathan Baker and Libor Kozak remain sidelined.
Swansea's one alteration also comes at the back as Federico Fernandez replaces Jordi Amat at centre-half. The Argentine missed Monday's 1-0 defeat to Liverpool having flown home for personal reasons.
There are no changes up front as Gomis, who has recovered from the alarming health scare that he suffered in the 3-2 defeat at White Hart Lane, starts as a lone striker, with support from Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jonjo Shelvey and Wayne Routledge. The Swans have failed to score in five of their last nine games.
Swansea's attacking problems have not only coincided with Bony's departure, but manager Garry Monk trying to accommodate Jonjo Shelvey. His deployment in a more advanced area has seen Gylfi Sigurdsson shifted to the left and width sacrificed. Nathan Dyer and Jefferson Montero are both on the bench.
One-cap midfielder Shelvey harbours further international ambitions, but Villa's Fabian Delph was the only player from either side named in this week's England squad for the fixtures against Lithuania and Italy.
Sherwood has tipped his captain to play a role in the Three Lions winning Euro 2016. Yes, winning he said, not qualifying for. The 45-year-old is always glass half full, but I dropped my own glass when I read this:
"Roy will stumble across a team that will win the Euros. He will, I tell you. They will win it."
While Sherwood's boys are on a role, it is important to remember that nothing has been achieved yet. They remain only three points clear of danger and have trips to Spurs and the Manchester clubs coming up.
That puts extra emphasis on this afternoon's match, which may have a bit of a different dynamic to recent Villa Park games. For the first time this season, the home fans will likely be expecting to win.
Just over 10 minutes until referee Robert Madley blows the whistle for kickoff. That gives you plenty of time to check out the views of our Sports Mole Sofa pundits ahead of today's game in the Midlands:
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Villa have failed to win any of their last four games against Swansea and lost Boxing Day's reverse fixture 1-0. The Welsh club have, however, only ever won once at Villa Park.
ONE TO WATCH: Agbonlahor's brace against Sunderland was the first time that he has scored twice in a Premier League game since May 2013. He blows hot and cold, cold far too often, but when he is on song the striker has the pace to trouble any defence in the country and Swansea will need to be wary.
PREDICTION: This is a big game for Villa and Sherwood will have his charges pumped. Is motivation a problem for Monk's mid-table men? I don't think so, considering their impressive performance against Liverpool, but finding the net is and they may fire another blank today. Two-nil to the Villans.
KICKOFF: The action is underway at Villa Park, with both sides in their traditional kits...
A bit of space opens up for the raiding Kyle Naughton, who is up against Hutton on the Swans right, and he takes on a long-range shot which deflects off teammate Gomis and behind for a goal kick.
Cork slips a ball through the Villa defence. Both Routledge and Gomis run towards it before the offside flag goes up. The former was the culprit and should have left it to the Frenchman to go through on goal.
CHANCE! Swansea should be ahead as Gomis misses a chance from eight yards out. Sigurdsson turns the ball into the path of Neil Taylor for the overlapping full-back to pick out the unmarked Gomis, whose tame left-footed finish is saved by the legs of Brad Guzan. He really needs to be scoring from there.
LATEST: Of course, there are four other 3.00pm Premier League kickoffs this afternoon, all being covered live by SM here. I shall try my best to keep you updated with goals from elsewhere. Harry Kane has put Spurs ahead early on against Leicester, but the hosts have had goalkeeper Hugo Lloris stretchered off.
Gomis pokes the ball away from Jores Okore on the halfway line and carries it forward. He goes past another Villa defender before Ciaran Clark stands up tall and stops him in his tracks.
Villa have had a couple of really promising counter-attack situations which they have failed to make the most of. They possess such great pace on the break, but the final ball has been missing so far.
LATEST: Spurs are now 2-0 up against Leicester and Kane is at it again, celebrating his first England call-up with an early double. A reminder that Man City cruised past West Brom 3-0 earlier.
Taylor backs off N'Zogbia and invites him to run into the area. The winger looks to cut inside onto his left foot and bend a shot towards the far post, but Taylor stays just close enough to make a crucial block.
This game has been without a notable opportunity since Gomis's gilt-edged chance in the sixth minute. We have seen very little of Benteke and Villa could benefit from hitting the Belgian earlier on occasions.
CHANCE! Just as I was saying that, another chance comes for Swansea and again it falls the way of Gomis. This one is tricker as he hits on the turn from 10 yards following a smart through ball from Ki Sung-yueng, but Guzan spreads himself at the near post. Power behind the shot, but no real precision
SUBSTITUTION: A blow for Villa as Tom Cleverley is forced off injured. The midfielder's recent improvement is halted by a knock and Ecuadorian powerhouse Carlos Sanchez is called on from the bench.
The hosts break again and N'Zogbia has options either side of him. He releases Benteke into the right channel, but Fernandez comes across to make a perfectly-timed slide tackle to rob the striker inside the box.
Scott Sinclair, who made his name at Swansea and is the subject of boos from the away fans, tries an ambitious left-footed volley with his back to goal when Benteke was screaming for a layoff to his left.
LATEST: No goals here, but there are two at White Hart Lane and at St James' Park, where Arsenal lead Newcastle United 2-0. Stoke are also ahead thanks to Mame Biram Diouf's goal against Crystal Palace.
SAVE! A shot at either end. After Sigurdsson's free kick is comfortably saved by Guzan, Villa counter and Sinclair plays in Delph for a low drive which is stopped well by Fabianski at his near post.
OFF THE LINE! Guzan owes his buddy Clark a pint this evening. The American keeper spills a routine catch from Sigurdsson's wide free kick. Routledge prods the loose ball towards goal but Clark shows great awareness to cover for his keeper and makes a crucial block on the line. As good as a goal that.
Both teams have attacked well so far and it is a surprise that we are yet to have a goal. Swansea have perhaps marginally been the better team, but not clinical enough, and Villa's final ball has also been inconsistent.
Bacuna has not been as willing to raid down the right as he was at Sunderland, but has not been afforded the same kind of space. Taylor is doing a good job against the double threat of the Dutchman and N'Zogbia.
HALF-TIME: ASTON VILLA 0-0 SWANSEA
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The two teams leave the field goalless after a half that offered plenty if not an opening goal. Both sides had good attacking moments, but Swansea should be ahead having had two great opportunities.
Bafetimbi Gomis spurned a great close-range chance on six minutes and Ciaran Clark cleared Wayne Routledge's shot off the line half an hour later as Swansea's recent profligacy reared its ugly head again.
LATEST: Here at the scores from around the Premier League: Man City 3-0 West Brom (FT); Newcastle 0-2 Arsenal; Southampton 1-0 Burnley; Stoke 1-2 Crystal Palace; Tottenham 2-1 Leicester.
BENCH WATCH: If Monk wants to introduce some of the lightening pace that Villa possess, he has both Dyer and Montero available among his substitutes. Andreas Weimann, who has fallen out of favour under Sherwood, Carles Gil and Jack Grealish, back from suspension, are options for the hosts.
KICKOFF: We are back underway at Villa Park, with both sides unchanged following the break...
The Villans have made a bright start to this second half. It appears that Sherwood has encouraged them to up the tempo and both full-backs have already shown a greater effort to join in with attacks.
SHOT! Sigurdsson wins Swansea a free kick and immediately takes charge of it. The Icelander has scored a few from this range this season, but this one is too central and allows Guzan to tip over.
CHANCE! Lovely footwork from Routledge allows him to get away from two Villa bodies and hang a cross up to the back post, where Gomis climbs to head a few yards wide. It just isn't happening for him.
BLOCK! The chances are coming thick and fast now, and the latest is a great one for Villa. Agbonlahor tries to turn Benteke's knockdown goalwards, but Taylor makes a crucial intervention to divert it behind.
The Villa bench look on with concern as Benteke requires treatment for an injury. He's clutching that hip which has been a problem for him several times before and kept him out of the FA Cup quarter-final.
Benteke gives the thumbs up for him to continue, but has limped away from a couple of aerial challenges with Ashley Williams since. One header he won nearly fell for Okore in the box, but Swansea cleared.
SUBSTITUTION: Monk sacrifices perhaps his most likely goalscorer Sigurdsson for extra pace and width as Montero comes on. Routledge will stay on the right wing now and Swansea will hope to exploit the holes in behind the Villa full-backs, who have been given greater attacking license since the break.
SUBSTITUTION: Sherwood also makes a tactical change as Ashley Westwood comes on for N'Zogbia. That will mean three in the middle of the park for Villa, with Agbonlahor moving out wide.
The adjustment almost reaps immediate benefits for the hosts as Agbonlahor gets to the right byline and fizzes in a cross which just evades Sinclair as the winger stretched to make contact in the six-yard box.
Another half-chance for Sinclair, who screws a shot wide after a pass inside from Delph. Benteke had made a great run and is furious that Sinclair did not turn the ball around the corner and into his path.
This game is anyone's to win, with Swansea quick to have a chance at the other end. Montero darts past Bacuna down the left and crosses for Gomis, whose shot is blocked over the crossbar by Clark.
SUBSTITUTION: Benteke cannot run off his knock and Andreas Weimann is brought on as his replacement. I'm not sure it is lasting damage, but it harms Villa's chances of a late victory here.
Villa have switched back to 4-4-2, which makes it even more remarkable that Delph came all the way across from his position on the left wing to snuff out a Swansea attack down their left with a great tackle.
SHOT! Westwood spreads the play out to Sinclair on the right. He cuts inside Taylor, but cannot beat Fabianski with his strike from a narrow angle. Sinclair has been a bit selfish at times this afternoon.
Just under 10 minutes plus stoppage time to go. It would not fit Sherwood's mindset to settle for a draw, but, having lost Benteke, that might be the smart thing to do. Every point counts at the bottom.
Delph has probably been Villa's best player and wants to win this match for his side. He drives through the middle and shoots wildly with his right foot when he had plenty of teammates up in support.
SUBSTITUTION: Dyer, who has surprisingly been out of favour and sometimes out of the matchday squad of late, is on for the final few minutes for Swansea as the quiet Shelvey makes way.
GOAL! ASTON VILLA 0-1 SWANSEA (BAFETIMBI GOMIS)
Swansea grab what will surely be a late winner and Gomis's persistence finally pays off! It is a simple finish for the Frenchman, with the goal set up by two brilliant passes in the build-up. Routledge releases Montero inside Bacuna with a wonderful outside-of-the-foot pass and the Colombian winger squares first time perfectly into the path of Gomis to fire home from 10 yards out.
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CLOSE! Some sections of the Villa fans are fooled into thinking that they have an immediate equaliser when Sinclair's side-foot volley at the back post goes flying into the side-netting.
SUBSTITUTION: Smiling Swansea manager Monk eats away some of the THREE minutes of added time by bringing on Benfica loanee Nelson Oliviera for potential match-winner Gomis.
Fabianski spills a corner, but Swansea clear the danger and that should just about be that...
FULL-TIME: ASTON VILLA 0-1 SWANSEA
A late twist in the tale at Villa Park as Swansea halt the Villa revival under Tim Sherwood. Bafetimbi Gomis had missed several chances earlier in the game before popping up with an 87th-minute winner.
Villa's first defeat in four games does not prove to be immediately costly as they stay three points clear of the relegation zone due to Burnley's 2-0 defeat at Southampton, but Dick Advocaat's Sunderland could leapfrog them with victory over West Ham United in the Premier League's evening kickoff. Swansea climb to eighth and onto 43 points, four shy of their record total with eight games left.
RESULTS: Here are today's other Premier League results; sounds like a cracker at the Lane! Man City 3-0 West Brom; Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal; Southampton 2-0 Burnley; Spurs 4-3 Leicester; Stoke 1-2 Palace.
That's it from me. Full reaction and analysis from Villa Park and all of the other Premier League games will be on site soon. In the meantime, tune in for live coverage from Upton Park. Thanks for joining SM today.
Written by
Joe Fish
Joe Fish
