Villa open the season with defeat to a newly promoted side as Paul Lambert - the fans choice to take over from Alex McLeish - loses his first game in charge of Villa.

Villa have now failed to win their last 9 Premier League away games. 

Villa players did not find a single teammate with any of their 10 crosses against promoted West Ham. 

Centre back Ron Vlaar, 27, makes his debut in a Villa shirt after joining from Feyenoord for £3,420,000 to become the 843rd player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Midfielder Karim El Ahmadi, 27, makes his debut in a Villa shirt after joining from Feyenoord for £2,520,000 to become the 844th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Winger Brett Holman also makes his debut in a Villa shirt aged 28 after joining from AZ Alkmaar on a free transfer in July 2012 to become the 845th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Right back Matt Lowton, 23, makes his debut in a Villa shirt following his move from League One side Sheffield United for a fee of £3,380,000 in July 2012 to become the 846th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Fabian Delph makes his 1st appearance in a Villa shirt since December 2011 to make it 35 appearances (26 Starts) W13 D10 L12, 1 Goal and 9 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Villa are well beaten at home to make it two defeats from two games under Paul Lambert as the great hope already looks less than was promised.

Paul Lambert's Villa, three goals down by half time, suffered a second successive defeat as they were dispatched with ease by Everton at Villa Park. Two games into the reign of the effectively 'fan appointed' Lambert and things were already looking less than rosy with the newly installed Villa boss already talking of the relegation battle ahead. 

Villa have now gone 12 top-flight games without a win for the first time since 1986-87 when they were relegated under Billy McNeill. 

Nathan Delfouneso - having been called up by Lambert to make his first start in over 9 months - was substituted by Lambert at half time in what would prove to be his final appearance for Villa aged 21 before moving on to Blackpool on a free transfer in July 2014. In total Delfouneso made 51 appearances, 37 as substitute and left with a record of W15 D14 L22, 9 goals, 2 Assists and 2 Bookings from his 5 seasons with the club.

Karim El Ahmadi scores his first goal in a Villa shirt on his 2nd appearance to make it W0 D0 L2, 1 Goal and 1 Booking so far in his Villa career.

Barry Bannan suffers his 25th defeat in a Villa shirt on his 55th appearance (28 Starts) to make it W14 D16 L25, 2 Goals, 4 Assists and 5 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Villa win for the first time under Paul Lambert as they beat League One side Tranmere to progress to the third round of the League Cup.

Paul Lambert's Villa, seeking respite from their League troubles, see off League One Tranmere at Villa Park to progress in the League Cup as Villa are represented by one of the youngest sides to have taken the field for the club in many seasons. 

Defender Enda Stevens, 22, contributes an assist on his debut for Villa after joining from Shamrock Rovers in January 2012 under Alex McLeish for a fee of £257,000 to become the 847th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Forward Graham Burke makes his debut appearance for Villa aged 18 after coming through the youth team ranks to become the 848th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Darren Bent scores his 1st goal under Paul Lambert and his 20th in a Villa shirt on his 43rd appearance (42 Starts) to make it W16 D13 L14, 20 Goals, 2 Assists and 1 Booking so far in his Villa career. Bent's goal comes on his 3rd appearance under Lambert.

Fabian Delph collects his 10th booking in a Villa shirt on his 36th appearance (27 Starts) at a rate of a card every 3.60 games he has played and makes it W14 D10 L12, 2 Goals and 10 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Brett Holman scores his 1st goal and contributes his 1st assist in a Villa shirt on his 3rd appearance (1 Start) to make it W1 D0 L2, 1 Goal and 1 Assist so far in his Villa career.

Paul Lambert's Villa earn their first point of the season to rise to 17th place in the early Premier League table.

Ciaran Clark contributes his 10th goal involvement in a Villa shirt on his 48th appearance (42 Starts) to make it W15 D14 L19, 7 Goals, 3 Assists and 14 Bookings so far in his Villa career. Clark has now picked up a booking every 3.43 games he has played.

Barry Bannan contributes his 5th booking in a Villa shirt on his 57th appearance (30 Starts) to make it W15 D17 L25, 2 Goals, 5 Assists and 6 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Villa win, and keep a clean sheet, for the first time after a troubling start to the season under a seemingly overwhelmed Paul Lambert.

Midfielder Ashley Westwood, 22, makes his Villa debut after moving from League One side Crewe Alexandra for £2,250,000 in August 2012 to become the 849th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Centre forward Christian Benteke, 21, makes a goalscoring debut after joining from KRC Genk for a fee of £7,920,000 in August 2012 to become the 850th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Matt Lowton scores his 1st goal in a Villa shirt on his 5th appearance to make it W2 D1 L2, 1 Goal and 1 Booking so far in his Villa career.

Ciaran Clark collects his 15th booking in a Villa shirt on his 49th appearance (43 Starts) to make it W16 D14 L19, 7 Goals, 3 Assists and 15 Bookings so far in his Villa career. Clark has now picked up a booking every 3.27 games he has played.

Brad Guzan keeps his 10th clean sheet in a Villa shirt on his 33rd appearance (31 Starts) to make it W17 D5 L11, 36 Goals Conceded, 10 Clean Sheets, 1.09 Goals per Game and 3 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Villa's troubled start to life under Paul Lambert continues as they are well beaten at St Mary's to leave them with three defeats in five Premier League outings with alarm bells beginning to ring.

Paul Lambert's Villa lose their third game in five Premier League matches as concerns mount. Heavier defeats and worse performances than had been typical under both Lambert's generally poor predecessors Houllier and McLeish raised alarm bells. 

With goals at a premium and a defence struggling, the folly of Lambert having ostracised the experience of Alan Hutton and Stephen Warnock (now on loan at Championship side Bolton) and banishing Shay Given to the subs bench became ever more apparent. 

Five League games in it was clear Lambert wasn't the solution many had hoped. 

Left back Joe Bennett, 22, makes his debut after joining from Championship side Middlesbrough for a fee of £2,840,000 in August 2012 to become the 851st player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Ciaran Clark suffers his 20th defeat in a Villa shirt on his 50th appearance (44 Starts) to make it W16 D14 L20, 7 Goals, 3 Assists and 15 Bookings so far in his Villa career. Clark has now picked up a booking every 3.33 games he has played.

Gabriel Agbonlahor suffers his 80th defeat in a Villa shirt on his 255th appearance (229 Starts) to make it W95 D80 L80, 62 Goals, 31 Assists and 25 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Brad Guzan concedes his 40th goal in a Villa shirt on his 34th appearance (32 Starts) to make it W17 D5 L12, 40 Goals Conceded, 10 Clean Sheets, 1.27 Goals per League Game and 4 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Darren Bent suffers his 15th defeat in a Villa shirt on his 46th appearance (45 Starts) to make it W17 D14 L15, 21 Goals, 2 Assists and 1 Booking so far in his Villa career.

Stephen Ireland contributes his 5th assist in a Villa shirt on his 47th appearance (37 Starts) (one of which came against lower league opposition Tranmere) to make it W10 D16 L21, 1 Goal, 5 Assists and 3 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Scarcely believably but Paul Lambert loses the Villa dressing room after just eight games in charge as the folly of his appointment is laid bare for all but the most hopelessly optimistic of supporters.

Paul Lambert's Villa fail again in the League as they can only draw at home to Albion but for all the concern about team selection and on-field performances it is behind the scenes where alarm bells are now ringing loudly in just his eighth game in charge. 

The counter-productive Gérard Houllier bomb squad had been re-implemented after the relative sense of the McLeish era, and the bizarre policy of recruiting lower league imports well before their due date only to see them being preferred ahead of calm, experience, meant any semblance of a honeymoon for Lambert was well and truly over. 

In that context, the decision of the mono-syllabic manager to pick a fight with Villa’s record signing, days after picking a fight with the manager of the reigning champions seemed at best questionable. 

Lambert’s protestations of innocent motives didn’t wash with any but the most gullible so it was no surprise that the offended player taunted his new boss on celebrating his equalising goal. 

Mutual respect was clearly in short supply, the question was just how far that was ingrained in the dressing room after eight, largely painful, games into Lambert’s reign. The rumours were that the dressing room was already well and truly lost. 

The shortest permanent managerial tenure in history was in order but stasis and incompetence in the boardroom meant Paul Lambert survived despite one win and four defeats in seven Premier League games as the dour manager's reign was allowed to continue.

Paul Lambert's Villa lose their fourth game in seven Premier League matches and it is not too soon to call time on his reign. 

Sadly much of the fan base and certainly the board had drunk too much of the 'kool-aid' and were taken in by the nonsense being spouted on an almost daily basis. 

Alex McLeish had been heavily maligned but one of the contributions he had made was to bring the squad together and operate a policy of inclusion. 

Within days of his arrival Lambert had ripped this approach apart and it was little surprise to see the effect manifest itself on the pitch. 

Indeed had McLeish or his predecessor Houllier delivered the results that Lambert had done since his appointment there is no doubt whatsoever that action would have been taken. 

That though was never going to happen with Lambert, as it would, of course, necessitate a massive and unpalatable climbdown on the part of a supporter base who had demanded Lambert’s appointment and the newly parsimonious Randy Lerner was hardly in a move to pay up a contract just a few weeks into its existence. 

Yet the warning signs weren’t just there, they were screaming from every angle. Lambert’s should have been the shortest reign of any permanent manager in Villa’s history but a confluence of unfortunate and mutually self interested events kept him in post and Villa on course for inevitable relegation. 

It was just a question of when. 

Villa lose their fourth game in 7 Premier League matches under Paul Lambert.

Joe Bennett collects his first booking in a Villa shirt on his 4th appearance (3 Starts) to make it W1 D1 L2, and 1 Booking so far in his Villa career.

Villa lose for the fifth time in eight Premier League games under Paul Lambert and have now delivered their their worst top-flight start since 1986-87 when they were relegated under Billy McNeill. 

Alex McLeish took 16 games to lose 5 in 2011-12. 

In 2010-11 it was 14 games.

Any manager needs time but there needs to be an inclination of competence to build on, sadly even communication was beyond the monosyllabic Lambert and only the pride of the Villa faithful - who had largely demanded his appointment - kept the protests at bay, a situation that though understandable was the worst possible approach.

Nathan Baker suffers his 10th defeat in a Villa shirt on his 17th appearance (15 Starts) to make it W4 D3 L10 and 1 Red Card so far in his Villa career.

Ron Vlaar loses for the 5th time in a Villa shirt on his 9th appearance to make it W2 D2 L5 and 2 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Villa's terrible start to the season under Paul Lambert continues as they are held by Norwich to record their poorest start to a campaign for 43 years and leave them just above the Premier League relegation zone.

Villa now have 1 win in 9 Premier League games under Paul Lambert.

Villa have made their worst start to a season since 1969-70 when they drew two and lost seven of their opening nine games before being relegated to the third tier for the first time in their history.

Darren Bent makes his 50th appearance in a Villa shirt (46 Starts) but had now been substitute in 3 of the last 4 games, having only been a sub once in his first 46. Bent's record now stood at W17 D16 L17, 22 Goals, 2 Assists and 1 Booking having scored 3 times in 10 games under Lambert compared to 19 in 40 under his predecessors.

Joe Bennett is sent off on his 6th appearance in a Villa shirt (5 Starts) to make it W1 D2 L3, 3 Bookings and 1 Red Card so far in his Villa career.

Chris Herd makes his first appearance for a month to make it 25 starts in a Villa shirt (31 Appearances), W8 D11 L12, 2 Goals, 2 Bookings and 1 Red Card so far in his Villa career.

Villa win for the 2nd time in 10 Premier League games under Paul Lambert but the madness deepens with the ostracism of Darren Bent.

Andreas Weimann secures his 10th win in a Villa shirt on his 26th appearance (11 Starts) to make it W10 D11 L5, 2 Goals and 1 Booking so far in his Villa career.

Gabriel Agbonlahor scores his first league goal in 28 matches to make it W98 D82 L82, 66 Goals, 31 Assists and 26 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Christian Benteke contributes his 1st assist in a Villa shirt on his 9th appearance (7 Starts) to make it W4 D2 L3, 4 Goals, 1 Assist and 1 Booking so far in his Villa career.

Stephen Ireland makes his 50th appearance in a Villa shirt (40 Starts) to make it W12 D16 L22, 1 Goal, 6 Assists (two against lower league opposition) and 3 Bookings so far in his Villa career. Ireland's League record is 1 goal and 4 assists in 42 matches.

Eric Lichaj collects his 10th booking in a Villa shirt on his 29th appearance (21 Starts) at a rate of 1 card for every 2.9 games he has played to make it W10 D9 L10, 2 Goals, 2 Assists and 10 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Villa lose their 6th game in 11 Premier League matches under Paul Lambert to remain 17th in the table but deliver an improved performance before familiar capitulation against Manchester United.

Villa's woeful campaign continues as they lose for the seventh time in twelve Premier League games under Paul Lambert yet there remains little sign of boardroom concern at the clear downward spiral Villa now find themselves in.

It had taken the much maligned Alex McLeish 20 matches of the 2011-12 season to lose as many games.

Villa had conceded three or more goals on four occasions in 12 matches under Lambert.

Under McLeish Villa had conceded three or more goals on four occasions across 38 games. 

Forward Jordan Bowery, 21, makes his debut after a simply ridiculous step up in level having joined from League Two side Chesterfield for a fee of £567,000 in August 2012 to become the 852nd player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football. 

Ciaran Clark makes his 50th start in a Villa shirt (56 Appearances) to make it W18 D15 L23, 7 Goals, 3 Assists and 16 Bookings so far in his Villa career. Clark has now picked up a booking every 3.50 games he has played.

Brad Guzan concedes his 50th goal in a Villa shirt on his 41st appearance (39 Starts) to make it W18 D7 L16, 53 Goals Conceded, 11 Clean Sheets, 1.50 Goals per League Game and 4 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Marc Albrighton makes his 75th appearance in a Villa shirt from the bench (46 Starts) to make it W23 D23 L29, 9 Goals, 11 Assists, 9 Bookings and 1 Red Card so far in his Villa career.

Villa secure a much needed point as they draw with Arsenal but now have just two wins in thirteen Premier League games under Paul Lambert. 

Villa stop a run of two defeats and eight goals conceded to keep a clean sheet and earn a goalless draw with 8th placed Arsenal but remain 18th in the table.

Karim El Ahmadi collects his fifth booking in a Villa shirt on his 13th appearance (12 Starts) to make it W3 D4 L6, 1 Goal and 5 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Villa win for just the third time in fourteen Premier League games as they strike late to score their first goal in three games under Paul Lambert.

Christian Benteke scores his 5th goal in a Villa shirt and 3rd in the League on his 13th appearance (11 Starts) to make it W5 D3 L5, 5 Goals and 1 Booking so far in his Villa career.

Villa make it three games unbeaten for the first time under Paul Lambert but despite taking an early lead they are held by a side yet to win in 15 games this campaign. 

Regardless of the lowly stature of the opposition a point earned is a point earned and as a result Villa rise to 15th in the table - their highest position since September.

Defender Derrick Williams makes his sole appearance for Villa as a substitute aged 19 after coming through the youth team ranks to become the 853rd player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Chris Herd makes his first appearance for a month to make it 27 starts in a Villa shirt (33 Appearances), W9 D12 L12, 2 Goals, 2 Bookings and 1 Red Card so far in his Villa career.

Villa extend their unbeaten run to four games but draw for the third time as the level of expectation under Paul Lambert is diminished to such a degree that a goalless home stalemate against Stoke City is seen as a 'result'. 

Villa have only scored two goals in their last four games under Paul Lambert and remain the League's lowest scorers.

Villa fall back to 17th place in the table and are out of the relegation places on goal difference only under Paul Lambert.

In case you don't yet realise, it's not going well under Paul Lambert.

Villa make it five games unbeaten in all competitions as they beat Norwich to secure a League Cup semi final spot courtesy of a 'second string' of players rarely used in Paul Lambert's struggling Premier League side.

Villa score as many goals (4) as they had managed in their previous 6 League games under Paul Lambert despite their Cup opposition being Premier League rivals. 

Ironically and surely indicatively given their League struggles under Lambert, it is a squad featuring players not regularly included for the Premier League games that fire Villa through to another League Cup semi final.

Eric Lichaj contributes his 5th goal involvement in a Villa shirt on his 34th appearance (24 Starts) to make it W12 D12 L10, 2 Goals, 4 Assists and 10 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Villa extend their unbeaten run to six in all competitions - winning for a second time in the League - as they produce their best result of the season to beat Liverpool at Anfield as many predict a turning of the corner after a torrid first three months under Paul Lambert's leadership.

Villa score more goals in 51 minutes at Anfield than they had managed in their previous 5 Premier League games under Paul Lambert.

The starting XI was the youngest in the Premier League this season averaging 23 years, 309 days old. 

Villa have now won 4 of 17 Premier League games under Paul Lambert.

Christian Benteke contributes his 5th assist in a Villa shirt on his 17th appearance (15 Starts) to make it W7 D5 L5, 8 Goals, 5 Assists and 2 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Barry Bannan secures his 20th win in a Villa shirt on his 70th appearance (41 Starts) to make it W20 D21 L29, 2 Goals, 5 Assists and 7 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Brett Holman contributes his 5th goal involvement in a Villa shirt on his 19th appearance (13 Starts) to make it W6 D7 L7, 2 Goals, 4 Assists and 1 Booking so far in his Villa career.

Anfield proves the very worst of false dawns as Villa's two League wins in a six game unbeaten run come to a crashing end as Paul Lambert leads Villa to their worst defeat in history in any competition as they ship eight without reply to leave Lambert's remaining reputation in tatters and a New Year managerial change presumably imminent.

Paul Lambert leads Villa to the worst ever defeat in the club's history, eclipsing the 1-8 defeat to Blackburn in an FA Cup tie on 16 February 1889.

As a result Villa’s five game unbeaten League run (two wins, three draws) comes to a crashing end

Villa have now lost 8 of 18 Premier League matches under Lambert.conceding 3 or more goals on 5 occasions.

Brad Guzan concedes his 60th goal in a Villa shirt on his 47th appearance (45 Starts) to make it W20 D7 L17, 63 Goals Conceded, 14 Clean Sheets, 1.54 Goals per League Game and 4 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Villa are hammered for the second successive game, this time at home, concede twelve and fail to score as Paul Lambert throws out some of the worst gas-lighting ever known.

Those who had been watching closely knew this is where Villa were headed under Lambert but few could have expected the severity of his impact. 

Villa had now lost nine of nineteen Premier League matches under Lambert conceding three or more goals on six occasions. Villa remained three points above the relegation zone but their goal difference was now significantly worse than the teams below them in the table with 18th placed Wigan their next opponents.

Paul Lambert's Villa follow up the worst ever defeat in the club's history with another heavy defeat to equal the Premier League record of the most goals conceded in two consecutive games. 

Ciaran Clark suffers his 25th defeat in a Villa shirt on his 64th appearance (58 Starts) to make it W21 D18 L25, 7 Goals, 3 Assists and 17 Bookings so far in his Villa career. Clark has now picked up a booking every 3.76 games he has played.

Villa are destroyed for the third consecutive game and have now conceded fifteen without scoring as Paul Lambert continues to plumb new depths without mitigation and with no reaction from an incompetent boardroom.

Villa concede their 13th, 14th and 15th goal in the last 3 games without reply under Paul Lambert.

Villa have now lost 10 of their 20 Premier League matches under Lambert.

Villa have now conceded three or more goals on seven occasions under Lambert.

Wigan had picked up only one point from a possible 18 before this game. 

Lambert's predecessor, the much maligned Alex McLeish, presided over 14 Premier League defeats across the entire 38 game campaign last season, conceding 3 or more goals on 4 occasions.

Brad Guzan concedes his 70th goal in a Villa shirt on his 49th appearance (47 Starts) to make it W20 D10 L19, 70 Goals Conceded, 14 Clean Sheets, 1.69 Goals per League Game and 4 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Matt Lowton suffers his 10th defeat in a Villa shirt on his 24th appearance to make it W8 D6 L10, 1 Goal and 4 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Paul Lambert's Villa start 2013 in terrible shape. A manager who looked out of his depth after 8 games now looked positively dangerous after 25. 

Villa stop their worst ever run of defeats - losing three and conceding fifteen without scoring - but can only draw with Swansea as they enter the new year in arguably the worst form since 1970 and undeniably since 1986.

Seventeen goals conceded in four games, a record defeat, a bomb squad that had robbed the squad of much needed defensive talent and a bizarre choice to consistently leave the best goalkeeper at the club on the bench, were just the headlines of Lambert’s reign. If Paul Lambert’s incoherent mumblings made no sense nor did his actions. 

Yet for the first time in four games Villa scored as Christian Benteke once again secured Villa points they didn’t otherwise look like getting and climb to sixteenth in the table - one point above the relegation places. 

Paul Lambert’s preferred side had delivered just once, albeit spectacularly at Anfield, in 21 League games and that was enough for many to cling to the belief that the Villa boss would get things right. Yet the reality was Villa were in a mess that would fester and worsen through inaction. Pride comes before a fall after all.

Christian Benteke's remarkable start continutes as he contributes his 15th goal involvement in a Villa shirt on his 21st appearance (19 Starts) to make it W7 D6 L8, 9 Goals, 6 Assists and 2 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Brad Guzan makes his 50th appearance in a Villa shirt (48 Starts) to make it W20 D11 L19, 72 Goals Conceded, 14 Clean Sheets, 1.70 Goals per League Game and 4 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Fabian Delph collects his 15th booking in a Villa shirt on his 49th appearance (35 Starts) at a rate of a card every 3.27 games he has played and makes it W18 D15 L16, 2 Goals and 15 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Matt Lowton makes his 25th appearance in a Villa shirt to make it W8 D7 L10, 1 Goal and 4 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Villa lose for the third time in four Premier League games having scored twice and conceded eighteen whilst failing to win as Paul Lambert continues to be backed in post despite Villa taking residence in the bottom three.

Villa lose their eleventh game in 22 Premier League matches under Paul Lambert.

Nathan Baker makes his 25th start in a Villa shirt (27 Appearances) to make it W8 D5 L14, 1 Booking and 1 Red Card so far in his Villa career.

Enda Stevens makes his 9th and final appearance in a Villa shirt (7 Starts) before moving on to Portsmouth on a free transfer in July 2015. Stevens would leave with a record of W4 D2 L3, 1 Assist and 1 Booking.

Villa make it six Premier League games without a win under Paul Lambert to leave them with four wins in twenty three League games in this most torrid of seasons.

Christian Benteke scores his 10th goal in a Villa shirt on his 24th appearance (22 Starts) to make it W7 D7 L10, 10 Goals, 7 Assists and 2 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Gabriel Agbonlahor contributes his 100th goal involvement in a Villa shirt on his 272nd appearance (244 Starts) to make it W101 D85 L86, 67 Goals, 33 Assists and 27 Bookings at a goal involvement rate of one for every 2.72 games he has played so far in his Villa career.

Brad Guzan makes his 50th start in a Villa shirt (52 Appearances) to make it W20 D12 L20, 75 Goals Conceded, 14 Clean Sheets, 1.69 Goals per League Game and 4 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Brett Holman makes his 25th appearance in a Villa shirt (17 Starts) to make it W6 D8 L11, 2 Goals, 4 Assists and 1 Booking so far in his Villa career.

Villa make it eight Premier League games without a win under Paul Lambert to leave them with four wins in twenty five League games as they concede late once again to draw with Everton.

Villa now have 4 wins in 25 games under Paul Lambert.

Villa concede 3 of more goals for the 8th time in 25 games under Paul Lambert.  

Villa conceded 3 of more goals on 4 occasions across the entire 38 game Premier League season under Alex McLeish in 2011-12.

Christian Benteke continues his remarkable start to his Villa career as he contributes his 21st goal involvement on his 25th start in a Villa shirt (27 Appearances) to make it W8 D8 L11, 14 Goals, 7 Assists and 2 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Midfielder Yacouba Sylla makes his Villa debut aged 22 after joining from Clermont Foot in January 2013 for a fee of £2,160,000 to become the 854th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Brad Guzan concedes his 80th goal in a Villa shirt on his 54th appearance (52 Starts) to make it W20 D13 L21, 80 Goals Conceded, 14 Clean Sheets, 1.74 Goals per League Game and 4 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Charles N'Zogbia contributes his 10th goal involvement in a Villa shirt on his 51st appearance (36 Starts) to make it W14 D19 L18, 2 Goals, 9 Assists and 8 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Villa lose for the 14th time in 28 games under Paul Lambert. 

Villa lose for the second successive game to leave them with one win in eleven Premier League games under Paul Lambert and just five wins in the entire campaign.

Villa lost 14 times in the entirety of the 38 game 2011-12 Premier League season under the much maligned Alex McLeish.

Ashley Westwood loses for the 10th time in a Villa shirt on his 21st appearance (19 Starts) to make it W5 D6 L10 and 3 Assists so far in his Villa career.

Brett Holman makes 1st appearance for a month, and has now made just one start in a Villa shirt in 2013 having done so 16 times in the first 4 months of the season as the winger appears to be the latest player to fall out of favour with Paul Lambert.

Meanwhile, off the field, Villa report losses of £17.7m for 2011-12 despite a fire sale of talent under Randy Lerner.

Villa can't manage to extend their strongest run of the season under Paul Lambert to four wins in five games against clubs around them in the relegation zone as they are held to a home draw by Fulham to leave them still deep in trouble.

Andreas Weimann makes his 50th appearance in a Villa shirt (31 Starts) to make it W19 D15 L16, 13 Goals, 2 Assists and 5 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Joe Bennett makes his 25th appearance in a Villa shirt (21 Starts) to make it W7 D6 L12, 2 Assists, 4 Bookings and 1 Red Card so far in his Villa career.

Brett Holman makes his 1st appearance for over a month, and has now made just one start in a Villa shirt in 2013 having done so 16 times in the first 4 months of the season as the winger continues to be the latest player to fall out of favour with Paul Lambert. Holman's 2012 record was 22 Appearances, 16 Starts, W6 D6 L10, 2 Goals, 4 Assists and 1 Booking. Holman's 2013 record by contrast was now 6 Appearances, 1 Start, W6 D10 L12, 0 Goals, 0 Assists and 0 Bookings.

Charles N'Zogbia contributes his 15th goal involvement in a Villa shirt on his 59th appearance (40 Starts) to make it W18 D20 L21, 5 Goals, 10 Assists and 8 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Villa's crucial run of games against fellow strugglers - playing six of their last eight against such opposition - proves critical as Paul Lambert's side make it five wins across the period to all but guarantee Premier League safety with two games to play.

Paul Lambert's Villa record their second successive win for only the second time this season. 

Villa's tenth win of the season, with five having come in the last eight matches, almost guaranteed Premier League football at Villa Park for 2013-14 just weeks after that prospect looked a complete impossibility. 

Although Christian Benteke's goals had got Villa into a position to have a realistic chance of safety, it was the much maligned Gabriel Agbonlahor who had been equally crucial in recent matches and fittingly it was his brace that effectively saved Villa. 

Ashley Westwood contributes his 6th assist in a Villa shirt on his 29 appearances (27 Starts) to make it W10 D7 L12, 6 Assists and 2 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Winger Brett Holman has to wait another month for an appearance - his last of 29 - for Villa aged 29 before moving on to Al-Nasr on a free transfer in July 2013. Holman had started the campaign with promise but disappeared from the starting line up at the turn of the year and was rarely seen thereafter. Holman had now made just 5 substitute appearances in the last four months under Lambert and had made just one start in a Villa shirt in 2013 having done so 16 times in the first 4 months of the season. Holman's 2012 record was 22 Appearances, 16 Starts, W6 D6 L10, 2 Goals, 4 Assists and 1 Booking. Holman's 2013 record by contrast was 7 Appearances, 1 Start, W7 D10 L12, 0 Goals, 0 Assists and 0 Bookings. Like many things under Paul Lambert it was unfathomable.

Fabian Delph collects his 20th booking in a Villa shirt on his 64th appearance (48 Starts) at a rate of a card every 3.20 games he has played and makes it W24 D17 L23, 2 Goals and 20 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Joe Bennett collects his 5th booking in a Villa shirt on his 28th appearance (24 Starts) to make it W9 D6 L13, 2 Assists, 5 Bookings and 1 Red Card so far in his Villa career.

Meanwhile in bittersweet news, Stiliyan Petrov announces his retirement following his recovery from acute leukaemia.