This fixture has been played since the dawn of time when cavemen dressed in claret & blue furs, kicked around a ball carved out of granite and Doug Ellis was just a wee teenager.  We won the first game at VP 6-2, we won the last one 4-0 and we won 36 of the other 70 games at VP in between.  So this is 3 points in the bag, right?

Not quite.  No one should need reminding that we’ve slipped up against teams we expected to beat more than once this season, so this is a potential banana skin we need to respect.  Bolton have a decent away record this season and our performances at home are a little disappointing.

Reading around some of the Bolton forums, the visiting fans don’t seem too optomistic about coming away with anything, but have lots of good things to say about the 3 lads we sold them recently.  Especially Cahill of course.

One thing is for sure; when you’re chasing the pack at the top of the table every game is massive.  We can’t afford to let these points slip through our fingers so let’s hope MON sends the boys out fired up and ruthless.

Would I be pushing my luck to ask for a clean sheet too??  OK, well I’m not too fussed, but I think we’ve got a back four more than capable of keeping Bolton at bay for 90 minutes.  The problem will be at the other end.  This is a game where the “unplayable” John Carew would be very handy.  On his day Gabby is growing into the dangerous striker we all hoped for, but still lacks the guile to create chances when space is at a premium.

So with that said, I’m predicting a Villa win, by a goal or two, almost certainly at least one from a set piece.  Laursen’s about due a goal isn’t he?!?