Villa are hit by more poor officiating as they lose at home to Bolton to make it three Premier League defeats in eighteen under Martin O'Neill but without a recognised goalkeeper to call on the Christmas period takes on a challenging air.

Villa drop to 9th in the table after losing their 2nd game in 4 under Martin O’Neill to extend their winless run to 6 as Thomas Sörensen and Stuart Taylor are ruled out with injury, forcing Villa to field second tier reserve 'keeper Gábor Király who had arrived on an emergency loan earlier in the week on a short term loan from Crystal Palace. 

Gábor Király makes his debut in a Villa shirt to become the 795th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Steven Davis makes his 75th start in a Villa shirt (91 Appearances) to make it W29 D30 L32, 9 Goals, 5 Assists and 2 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Villa lose consecutive games for the first time this season and the first time under Martin O'Neill.

Following the end of the reprehensible policy under the Doug Ellis of ostracising legendary players and managers from the League and European Cup winning side of the ’80’s, Randy Lerner rightfully restores the greats to centre stage with Villa boss Ron Saunders receiving a half time standing ovation on his first return to Villa Park in over 20 years. 

Sadly the result on the pitch didn’t do justice to the great man as Villa lost a second successive game for the first time this season and are now without a win in 7, drawing 4 and losing 3. 

Centre forward Chris Sutton, 33, makes his 9th and final appearance for Villa (6 Starts)) before retiring from football due to an eye injury. Similar to the effect of fellow veteran John Fashanu under Ron Atkinson, Sutton had a dynamic effect on Villa’s play and added a welcome hardened edge to the team. Sutton would have undoubtedly contributed more had injury not prevented it but he would leave prematurely with a record of W3 D3 L3, 1 Goal, 1 Assist and 2 Bookings from his short Villa career.

Juan Pablo Ángel makes his 200th appearance in a Villa shirt (154 Starts) to make it W70 D56 L74, 62 Goals, 18 Assists and 13 Bookings at a goal involvement rate of one for every 2.50 games he has played so far in his Villa career.

Gavin McCann collects his 25th booking in a Villa shirt on his 114th appearance to make it W43 D36 L35, 5 Goals, 3 Assists, 25 Bookings and 2 Red Cards at a rate of a card every 4.18 games so far in his Villa career.

Villa lose for a third consecutive game with their stand-in 'keeper as the years of under investment under former Chairman Doug Ellis leaves Martin O'Neill with a threadbare squad.

Villa, without a first team 'keeper are now without a win in their last 8 Premier League games under Martin O'Neill but remain 10th in the table with a record for his debut season of P20 W5 D10 L5.

Gary Cahill collects his 5th booking in a Villa shirt on his 17th appearance (16 Starts) to make it W4 D5 L8, 1 Goal and 5 Bookings at a rate of a card every 3.40 games so far in his Villa career.

Villa lose for a fourth consecutive game with their stand-in 'keeper to end 2006 in a difficult run of form after such a solid start to life under Martin O'Neill.

Villa end 2006 with a 4th successive defeat having had to play without a first team 'keeper for the 4th consecutive match, losing Gareth Barry to a red card and conceding an injury time winner. As a result Villa fell to a season low of 12th in the table and the early optimism under Martin O'Neill faced its first rigorous examination.

Juan Pablo Ángel suffers his 75th defeat in a Villa shirt on his 201st appearance (155 Starts) to make it W70 D56 L75, 60 Goals, 18 Assists and 13 Bookings at a goal involvement rate of one for every 2.51 games he has played so far in his Villa career.

Villa stop a run of four consecutive Premier League defeats with a hard fought draw against title chasing Chelsea as stand in 'keeper Gábor Király keeps his first clean sheet for Villa.

Villa however are winless in 10 Premier League games under Martin O'Neill and fall to 13th in the table.

Villa lose their annual FA Cup third round tie with Manchester United to an injury time goal. 

Emergency 'keeper Gábor Király makes his 6th and final appearance in a Villa shirt before returning to Championship side Crystal Palace's reserve team and leaving with a record of W0 D1 L5, 10 Goals Conceded at a rate of 1.67 goals per game and 1 Clean Sheet (17%).

Gary Cahill contributes his 1st goal assist in a Villa shirt on his 20th appearance (19 Starts) to make it W4 D6 L10, 1 Goal, 1 Assist and 6 Bookings at a rate of a card every 3.33 games so far in his Villa career.

Goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik, 20, makes his 11th and final squad appearance for Villa as an unused substitute before moving on to Falkirk in June 2007.