Aston Villa haven’t had much success over the last 15 years on Boxing Day, but I pick out five games where Villa have come away with something, and have given the Villa fans something to cheer about, right after Christmas.
Since the turn of the century, Villa have only won once on the Boxing Day fixture. The Villans haven’t had much luck on this date over the years, but will be hoping for a change of fortune, when it comes to facing West Ham, on Saturday afternoon.
Aston Villa 4-0 Everton- 2005/06 season
I start off with the most positive result for Villa, as this fixture has been the only win on Boxing Day they have found for around 15 years.
Milan Baros bagged a brace as the Villans took advantage of a struggling Everton side. In between Baros’s double, Mark Delaney and Juan Pablo Angel added to Everton’s misery. Although the first goal was controversial, as Baros was accused of handballing the ball, before lobbing it past the Everton keeper Nigel Martyn.
The victory left Villa fans in a cheerful Boxing Day mood after finding only their fifth victory all season, but their hopes of surging up the table were shattered, as Villa finished just above the relegation zone, in 16th place.
Stoke City 0-0 Aston Villa- 2011/12 season
This draw was the last point Villa have gained on Boxing Day, and although it wasn’t the most exciting of games, it was an important draw, as they only found one win and a draw in December, and a defeat in the New Year to Swansea as well.
Alex McLeish was satisfied with the draw, as it increased the gap between Villa and the relegation zone. It was a scrappy affair with Stoke coming the closest off a set-piece. This draw could have been the difference in Villa going down though, as they avoided relegation by just two points, but unfortunately for boss Alex McLeish, he still got the sack.
Chelsea 4-4 Aston Villa- 2007/08 season
Although this was another draw for the Villans, it was not one to forget for the Villa fans. The game had everything; penalties, red cards, and all of eight goals. Martin O’Neil’s side was a great force in his second season at the club, and qualified for the UEFA Cup, after finishing sixth.
This was a fantastic match at Stamford Bridge, and although Villa had such a successful campaign that season with better results than this one, many fans still remember the eight-goal extravaganza on Boxing Day.
A Shaun Maloney double put the Villans 2-0 up, but a decision deep into first-half stoppage time changed the whole complexion of the game. Zat Knight barged Michael Ballack down, after a scuffed Michael Essien Shot arrived at the Germans feet. Knight was last man, and shoved Ballack over in the box as he was about to shoot, Phil Dowd the referee, had no option but to send the centre-back off and award Chelsea a penalty. Shevchenko converted the penalty and then fired home a brilliant strike just outside the box, five minutes into the second half.
Neither side of fans could have guessed what was to come in the last half an hour though. With around 25 minutes to go, Shevchenko then slipped the ball through to Brazilian centre-half Alex, who slotted the ball home. At 3-2, Villa’s hopes of a result look to of sunk, but within eight minutes of the restart, Martin Laursen volleyed home a beautifully curled free-kick, by Ashley Young.
Furthermore, in the last fifteen minutes, two Chelsea players get sent off, and a free-kick and a penalty was also given and scored. Ricardo Carvalho started off this unbelievable frenzy of action, when he two-footed Agbonlahor.
Then Chelsea were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box, with just a few minutes remaining. Michael Ballack rifled home a free-kick into the far bottom corner in the 87th minute.
Unbelievably in the dying minutes Ashley Cole saved Agbonahor’s header on the line with his arm, and Phil Dowd pointed to the spot. This huge decision gave Gareth Barry the chance to grab a deserved point from the game for the Villans… which he took, by slotting the ball home coolly.
Leeds United 0-0 Aston Villa 2003/04 season
This was a successful second half of the season for David O’Leary’s Villa side, as they only managed two wins in their first 13 games, but as a result of the superb second half of the season, Villa resulted in sixth position. However, this draw to relegation threatened Leeds at the time, wasn’t the best of results compared to the results around the Christmas period. They did have an impressive turnaround in December and January, as Villa’s record in all competitions was, won nine, drew just one, and lost five.
In this Boxing Day fixture, although both teams showed signs of quality and danger to the opposition, neither side could bag a goal… which was allowed. Milan Baros had the ball in the Leeds net, only for it to be ruled out because of handball. Then, Leeds went the other end and to have their goal disallowed, because Michael Duberry was offside.
It finished 0-0, and unlike the Chelsea fixture, this Boxing Day result won’t be remembered by many Villa fans.
Aston Villa 2-2 Arsenal 2008/09 season
Although it wasn’t three points for Villa, it was another exciting contest with goals, against a tough opponent, for the second consecutive date.
Villa did need a late equaliser by Zat Knight to save them, but it was the least Villa deserved, after some dominant spells in the game. These were games Villa needed to be winning to challenge the top four though, and when the Villa fans look back, if they had a little bit of luck in these games, then Villa could have ended up in that top four position, at the end of the season.
Villa hit the post three times in the first-half, before Arsenal midfielder, Denilson, slotted the ball past Brad Friedel. It was against the run of play, but Arsenal went in 1-0 up, at half-time.
Unfortunately, it got worse for the Villans, as Arsenal countered again early in the second-half, and Abou Diaby went through on goal, and smashed the ball past Friedel. However, Villa finally pegged one back, when William Gallas took out Agbonlahor in the box, and like the season before, on Boxing Day, Gareth Barry scored from the spot.
After a huge amount of pressure Villa put on Arsenal’s back four in the final moments of the game, the ball fell to Zat Knight in the penalty box, and the tall defender powered the ball home, straight into the bottom corner, deep into stoppage time.
Villa may have deserved more than a point from the game, but it was one more point then they have got in a number of Boxing Day fixtures, and it was also a dramatic one, with a fine moment from a rare goalscorer to save them.
