All the games we’re playing right now are the reverse fixtures of games we played earlier in the season. Nothing out of the ordinary about that, but this was one 2nd leg match I was anxious to get to. You can probably already guess why, but if not; if there was any game this season I’d like a do-over on, it’s the opening day clash against Wigan at Villa Park.

I wondered after that game whether I’d done Wigan a disservice by underestimating them and whether I’d given Villa more credit than they were due after such a good pre-season. As it turned out, no, I was more or less on the money, although Villa are still a smidgen below the best I had hoped for this season. It was simply a case of Wigan being very much ‘on’ and Villa being very much ‘off’. A bad day at the office, nothing more.

Nevertheless, this return to the DW Stadium was a chance to exorcise some ghosts and they were sent packing so well you’d think Bill Murrary and Dan Aykroyd had played.  This was a tough, gritty victory lead every step of the way by the most determined performance we’ve seen from James Milner in a while.  He dragged this Villa side along by their bootstraps and ensured a victory that a lesser Villa, the Villa of previous seasons, more than likely would have failed to grasp.

Carew effectively forced the opener when his looping header was sent sublimely into his own net by young James McCarthy in the 25th minute. It may have had a touch of good fortune about it, but the goal had been coming. Although Villa were perhaps a little slow out of the blocks, once they got going there had been consistent pressure on the Wigan box, with the home side failing to clear their lines Villa were just being wasteful with the second ball they were winning.

However, that’s not to do Wigan an injustice, they were making a game of this and their tenacious play showed exactly how Liverpool came unstuck. It might not have surprised too many people that the lead was only to last 2 minutes with Caldwell getting the faintest of touches on a free kick that left every one, especially Brad Friedel, beaten at the far post.

From there, the game had an ebb and flow that would have pleased the neutral onlooker, should there have been any neutrals not watching the little game at Stamford Bridge going on at the same time. In fact, judging from another half empty DW Stadium, most of the inhabitants of Wigan were also watching the Champions League game.

I had both games on, but I couldn’t take my eyes off this one to see what was happening in London. That might sound obvious, but in all honesty if it had been like that season opener I’m sure I’d have been forgiven getting drawn to the other game!

Anyway, I’m guessing that MON told the troops to keep doing what they were doing, just tighten it up and get a bit more clinical during the second half and they’d get the result. Perhaps if Stephen Warnock could be a little less careless, that would help thanks very much. I’m being unkind singling Warnock out, but not his best performance tonight.

And in the end it could not be more fitting that James Milner pounced on a loose ball from a corner and buried it from just outside the area. Second ball. Corner. James Milner. It had been coming for the whole hour leading up to that point in time.

Villa held on, although a little shaky towards the end, but not without chances themselves. Milner’s fire and spirit is worth a separate mention, I can’t recall him ever berating a referee to the level he was complaining at Steve Bennett tonight, although in fairness if anyone deserved a good shouting at it was the man in black.

It was pleasing to see the return of Gabby’s pace stretching the Wigan back line in a way that was so apparently missing against Stoke against the far more cumbersome pairing of Carew and Heskey. Heskey did make a cameo towards the end and somehow looked the most tired player on the pitch with a couple of errant passes handing back possession to Wigan when there were easy options right in front of him. Sidwell too came on to rest Gabby’s tired legs and did a far better job of keeping nerves in check.

Overall, I’m sure there will be absolute jubilation among the team on the way back to Birmingham tonight. That’s going to lift their spirits and give them a little burst of confidence that might make a huge difference as we head towards the final run in. It’s serious, serious business now. No guts, no glory, but they’ll feel they earned that the hard way tonight.

There will be a Statshack coming up later with a more in depth review, possibly in the morning and following that I’ll be posting the penultimate part in the This Season vs Last Season series with all kinds of graphical goodies to get your juices flowing for the last 10 games of the season. Yes, the last 10 games of the season!!