Aston Villa took on Cardiff City in the Championship aiming to put a dent in Neil Warnock's bid to claim an automatic promotion spot with the Welsh club.
The visitors might have taken a lead in the first half, but Nathaniel Mendez-Laing saw his effort on the counter cannon back off the post after beating Sam Johnstone.
The Villains keeper made some crucial saves just before the interval, but it was Jack Grealish who stole all of the headlines as he thundered home a late finish in order to secure a 1-0 victory for Steve Bruce's men.
Relive all of the action with our minute-by-minute updates below.
Good evening all and thanks for joining us as we bring you live coverage of this crunch Championship clash between Aston Villa and Cardiff City at Villa Park. Cardiff come into the fixture having lost out to Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend and are now looking over their shoulder at the chasing pack striving for second place. As for Villa, Steve Bruce's men look set for a playoff finish, although they enter this game off the back of some troubling form of late.
ASTON VILLA STARTING XI: Johnstone; El Mohamady, Jedinak, Chester, Tuanzebe; Bjarnason, Hourihane, Adomah, Grealish, Snodgrass; Grabban
ASTON VILLA SUBSTITUTES: Samba, Whelan, Lansbury, Hogan, Onomah, Kodjia, Bunn
CARDIFF CITY STARTING XI: Etheridge; Peltier, Morrison, Bamba, Bennett; Paterson, Grujic, Gunnarsson, Mendez-Laing, Hoilett; Zohore
CARDIFF CITY SUBSTITUTES: Ecuele Manga, Pilkington, Bryson, Murphy, Ward, Traore, Madine
The major news for Villa fans is that Bruce has made three changes from the club's last time out in the league. The big admission here is centre-back John Terry, while Mile Jedinak, Axel Tuanzebe and Lewis Grabban all come into the side. It looks as though Grabban will lead from the front alone, with further support provided from the likes of Jack Grealish and Albert Adomah. Jonathan Kodjia begins on the bench and he will be kept waiting for his first start after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
For the visitors, Marko Grujic is able to return to the side, as is winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. The travelling support will be buoyed by the fact that Callum Paterson has also been able to start despite coming off against Wolves at the weekend. Kenneth Zohore starts as a striker in what will likely see Warnock reverted to his more solid 4-2-3-1 formation.
Warnock's charges come into the game having missed two stoppage-time penalties that would have earned the Welsh club a huge point against league leaders Wolves on Saturday evening.
Warnock's will actually drop out of the top two if this evening if they are unable to beat Villa and Fulham are able to pick up three points against relegation-threatened Reading elsewhere tonight.
Saturday's frustrating loss sees Cardiff on a run of two games without a victory, having previously won eight games in a row. Cardiff have been outstanding since the turn of the year, but Saturday's defeat now leaves the club back fearfully at the likes of Fulham and company.
Cardiff do not have the best of records when visiting Villa Park, although Warnock's men have already beaten Bruce's charges 3-0 at the City Stadium earlier this term.
Looking at Bruce's men, Villa now have an eight-point advantage over seventh-placed Millwall, who they travel to face on the final day of the Championship season.
Villa look well set to finish in the playoffs, but Bruce's side have won just once in five league games, having previously been on a run of 10 wins in 12 Championship fixtures. Across their past five league games, Villa have picked up just four points from a possible 15.
Results have not been too kind to Bruce's project in recent weeks, although you cannot write off the positive position that the Villains find themselves in with five games remaining in their season. Bruce's men could move within a point of securing a playoff spot if other results go their way this week.
Villa certainly enjoy playing Cardiff in the Midlands. Aston Villa have won 12 of their last 14 home matches against Cardiff in all competitions, drawing the other two.
Coming into the clash, Bruce has been quick to admit that his side need to improve quickly following their recent 3-1 defeat to Norwich. Here's what he recently told reporters ahead of this game:
"It's all about your accumulation of points and, in the last month, we've not done enough. When it comes down to the nitty gritty, we've been found wanting. Four points out of a possible 15 is not good enough.
"Neil Warnock's been in it a long time and I've been up against him many times, so it doesn't surprise me the job he's done at Cardiff. If we play like we did against Norwich again, we'll get turned over. I expect us to be better."
As for Warnock, he has called on his side to bounce straight back after Saturday's emotional defeat to Wolves: "You're not going to get happy faces, they're all disappointed, but it shows how far we've come, playing against the so called best team in the Championship and I think we more than held our own. So in the last six games we've got to do it again."
PREDICTION We are just a couple of minutes away from kickoff at Villa Park and it's time for a prediction. The form guide over recent years certainly puts Villa in a positive position when facing Cardiff at home, but Warnock's charges will be smarting after losing out to Wolves in such traumatic circumstances. Cardiff have a lot to lose tonight with a defeat given Fulham's position and I'm backing the visitors to return to form with a victory that will tighten their grip on second place.
Here they come then, the players stride out onto the pitch. Glenn Whelan has also been asked to step in at the last moment for Villa with Birkir Bjarnason pulling up injured during the warmups.
KICKOFF! After a minute's applause in respect of the late Ray Wilkins, Cardiff get us moving. The visitors are in blue, while the hosts are in typical burgundy and white.
SHOT! Villa enjoy a positive start with Grealish pulling the strings beautifully on the edge of the box. The youngster slips in Grabban beyond the last man, but the striker can only lash into the side netting from a tight angle.
Cardiff drop slightly too deep on the edge of their own box and that allows Snodgrass with time and space to pick a pass. The winger aims to bend a ball in for the run of Adomah, but the pass is overhit and Etheridge can gather with ease. Bright from the hosts, though.
Jedinak is forced into some early defending at centre-back when Paterson climbs highest to prod the ball on for Zohore. The frontman does his own bit of battling, but Villa's makeshift defender comes up trumps and Zohore is forced to head wide out of play.
The Villains have found some positive passing range in these opening moments. This time El Mohamady breaks forward from right-back and is able to cross into the middle, where Bamba climbs highest to head away and clear Cardiff's defensive line.
Cardiff have not really got going moving forward, although Zohore offers a worrying glimpse of pace down the left channel, where he is eventually stopped in his tracks by a brilliant sliding challenge from a recovering Chester.
Paterson is left frustrated as he wins a knockdown header in behind following a hopeful ball forward, but none of his teammates decide to gamble and Villa are able to mop up the mess under little pressure inside their own box.
So 15 minutes gone and Villa are looking like an improvement from the Norwich fiasco already. Cardiff seem relatively happy to play on the counter away from home, although it's certainly the Villains who are showing all the positive signs thus far.
OFF THE POST! Almost a fantastic counter from the away side. Mendez-Laing catches Tuanzebe napping and steals the ball back just inside the Villa half. The winger threads the pass to Zohore, who turns and lays off a perfect ball down the right channel beyond the defence. Mendez-Laing latches onto it and drives across Johnstone, only to be denied by the far post.
Villa respond with more positive work of their own and it's El Mohamady who tries to exploit some space in behind on the right wing. The full-back gets his head up to cross, although he cannot find the required quality and Bamba heads away at the near post.
YELLOW CARD! First of the game as Mendez-Laing opens up his legs on the right and leads a break away on the counter. Hourihane stops the move in its tracks and accepts the yellow card.
Cardiff have dragged themselves back into contention after a timid opening. Mendez-Laing is starting to cause some issues when drawing wide and Zohore is now starting to offer a threat off the shoulder of the last man.
City get the chance to thump a set-piece long into the box for Paterson to battle for, but he ends up fouling Chester and Villa escape with a free kick. At Craven Cottage, Fulham are yet to break the deadlock against Reading.
SUBSTITUTION: Some early frustration for Villa as Tuanzebe has picked up a worrying knock. He is replaced by James Bree.
Grabban looks furious as he aims to turn on the halfway line and lead a counter for the hosts, but he is dragged down in the middle by Grujic. Hourihane wastes the set piece, though, shanking a pass wide and out of play when trying to find the run of an overlapping El Mohamady.
Bennett finds himself in a good position for Cardiff down the left and he is able to cross from deep with an in-swinging delivery. Zohore looks to get on the end of it, but Jedinak battles well to make the header and clear. Fulham now have a lead against Reading, which knocks Cardiff out of the top two for now.
Grealish is starting to get a little more involved now and he turns in the middle before being clattered by Bennett. No card for the former Villa man, though.
CHANCE! Villa nearly profit from a tame corner as the ball lands first for Adomah, whose first effort is initially blocked. The winger gets another chance to swing a boot, before seeing his effort flash across the face of goal and wide without troubling Etheridge.
YELLOW CARD! Villa work a nice triangle down on the right side, which eventually sees Hourihane find the feet of El Mohamady, whose first-time cross is hoofed away for a corner by Bamba. Cardiff manage to clear, but Grealish is then brought down right on the edge of the box by Paterson, who goes into the book for his troubles.
Snodgrass eventually gets the chance to turn the ball into the middle from the free kick, but once again Bamba rises highest to head away the danger. The centre-back has been absolutely immense in this first half.
Gunnarsson makes a run beyond the last man and he is picked out by a speculative long ball from Peltier at right-back, but the linesman soon has his flag up for offside. The visitors are yet to offer too much going forward, other than a few glimmers of pace from Mendez-Laing. Villa have been comfortable.
Hourihane appears to have picked up a good position between the lines, although just as he spins to turn and drive at Bamba, the linesman has his flag up and Cardiff can breath a sigh of relief.
Frustrating from Grealish this time as he has space to run into in front of the visiting defence. Snodgrass peels off to threaten on the right, but the playmaker cannot find him and drives a pass straight out of play under no real pressure from a Cardiff shirt.
We are going to have three minutes of additional time in this first half at Villa Park...
Cardiff need to find Mendez-Laing a little more in the second half, again the winger's pace puts Bree under some serious scrutiny over on the right. The ball is soon put into the middle where Whelan almost deflects an effort into his own goal, only to see El Mohamady block on the line.
SAVE! Whelan is at it again as he deflects a header back towards his own goal from a corner, leaving Johnstone to make a fabulous save down low and tap the ball away, before following up to save the rebound at the back post too.
HALF TIME: ASTON VILLA 0-0 CARDIFF CITY
What an end to the half. Cardiff have not offered too much, but have had two or three good chances to put themselves into a lead here. Johnstone is Villa's saviour after an initially very quiet first half for the home stopper.
Warnock's side have just edged into the ascendency after a strong end to the half. Johnstone has been the keeper forced into some important work despite Villa dominating with the ball for much of the first half.
Bruce will be pleased with how his side have controlled certain parts of this contest, but they have been rather sloppy when going forward. The hosts are lucky not to be behind despite looking untroubled in defence for much of the first 45 minutes.
Cardiff will surely know that Fulham are a goal to the good during the interval. Will we see a visiting side with more intent to attack in the second period? City are currently sitting in third now with Fulham leading Reading in south London.
SECOND HALF! We are back moving again in the second period. Villa break from the centre circle and claim for a penalty on Snodgrass after a lunge from Bennett, but the referee is having none of it and waves play on.
Villa come again as Snodgrass draws wide and is able to chip into the box. There is not much pace on the ball and Grabban can only flick the effort wide of the target without troubling Etheridge.
Cardiff give away a cheap free kick on the left side of the box, allowing Snodgrass to cross into the mixer. Etheridge just about manages to get a hand to it and the ball then drops kindly for Paterson to swing a boot and clear. Villa have started brightly.
CLOSE! Wonderful work from Grabban who beats three defenders with the cheekiest of spins on the right channel. The forward drives into the box where he attempts to square for Adomah, leaving Peltier to make a standout recovering challenge coming across from right back.
Cardiff offer up their first forward transition of the second half when Paterson spins and looks to feed Zohore on the edge of the box, but Chester reads the game perfectly and steps in to make the challenge.
SAVE! How are Cardiff not in front here? Bree misjudges the flight of the ball and the cross falls kindly for Mendez-Laing at the back post. The winger shifts the ball to an unmarked Zohore and he is unable to apply the correct finish at the second attempt as he fires wide under pressure.
Not much to separate these sides now as the game seems to be swinging at both ends, Cardiff are arguably more in need of a result though...
SUBSTITUTION: Villa make their second change of the night as Adomah is swapped for the returning Kodjia in attack.
Villa look to work the ball through El Mohamady, who has provided plenty of options so far, but are undone when Grealish cannot be found on the overlap. Plenty of intent but very little in the way of quality in the final third for both teams at the moment.
Frustrations are just starting to bubble now as Zohore clatters into Grealish on the touchline...
SAVE! Almost from Villa... Grealish moves the ball quickly into the channel for Kodjia, who cuts back inside to make mince meat of his marker on the right side of the box. The striker opens up to lash at goal, but Etheridge stands strong to make a decent save.
SHOT! Villa work the ball over from the right flank and the hosts eventually find Grealish in space. The youngster winds up, but can only send his effort wide into the stands.
SUBSTITUTION: Cardiff make a change now as Zohore is taken off in place of Gary Madine in attack.
MISS! Grabban cuts the Cardiff City defence to ribbons with a wonderful through-ball for Hourihane, who breaks free of his marker and finds himself one-on-one with Etheridge, only to poke wide of the target with the keeper advancing.
Bennett gets the chance to bend an effort into the middle from a deeper free kick, but Mendez-Laing cannot get his head to the loose ball at the back post.
Villa have been much better in this second half, but they cannot find a way past Bamba at the moment, again he stands tall to head clear under pressure from Grabban.
YELLOW CARD! Gunnarsson has played a vital role in breaking up play, but he might have to temper his role now after going into the book for a foul on Grealish.
No real pointers as to which way this game might swing in the final 10 minutes. Both sides have enjoyed decent chances when going direct...
SHOT! Cardiff switch the play nicely and it almost catches Villa asleep. Mendez-Laing finds room to shoot and forces Johnstone into a strong diving save to his left.
Hoilett has been quiet here but he is given the chance to cross from the left, only to produce a poor delivery that evades everyone inside the box and runs out for a goal kick. Cardiff are looking increasingly frustrated now...
GOAL! ASTON VILLA 1-0 CARDIFF CITY (JACK GREALISH)
Oh my word... Pick that one out of the net! The game is finally given some quality and it gives Villa are crucial lead. Morrison can only clear his lines to the edge of the area, where Grealish waits for the ball to drop from the sky before sending a wonderful volley first time into the top corner. That is some goal from the youngster.
What have Cardiff got in the tank now?
We are going to have four minutes of additional time. Can Cardiff find something in these dying moments? Villa holding firm at the moment.
We are into four minutes of additional time here at Villa Park.
FULL TIME: ASTON VILLA 1-0 CARDIFF CITY
Hmmm, not the night Cardiff wanted to say the least. Warnock's men drop down into third thanks to Fulham's win over Reading. City do still have a game in hand over the London club, though. As for Villa, a win here certainly cements their strong chances of finishing in a playoff spot and might just give them faint hopes of a late push for a second-place finish come the end of May. Thanks for joining us tonight!
Written by
Christopher Dodd
Christopher Dodd
