There was no place in either side for the quartet of pre-transfer deadline captures snapped up by Bolton boss Sam Allardyce and Aston Villa counterpart Graham Taylor.
Allardyce finally secured the services of Real Madrid star Ivan Campo on loan until the end of the season, although he is understood to be another two to three weeks away from full fitness.
David Holdsworth has also joined the Trotters, teaming up with brother Dean for the first time since they were trainees at Watford in the 1986-87 season, with the 33-year-old on a month-by-month contract following his release by Birmingham in the summer.
Taylor's signings - Oyvind Leonhardsen and Ronny Johnsen - are also understood to be short of match fitness, so the Villa boss named an unchanged team from the one which registered its first win in midweek, a 1-0 victory at home to Manchester City.
Bolton captain Gudni Bergsson returned to a Wanderers side looking for their first points of the season and now propping up the Premiership following West Brom's win at home to Fulham yesterday.
Bergsson, fit again after missing last week's 2-1 defeat to Charlton with a knee injury, replaced Anthony Barness in defence, while Ricardo Gardner was dropped to the bench with Kevin Nolan the preferred replacement.
There was still no Jay-Jay Okocha, though, for Bolton, with the Nigerian star out for a second consecutive match with his own knee problem.
Bolton: Jaaskelainen, N'Gotty, Bergsson, Whitlow, Charlton, Djorkaeff, Warhurst, Frandsen, Nolan, Ricketts, Pedersen. Subs: Poole, Mendy, Gardner, Holdsworth, Barness.
Aston Villa: Enckelman, Delaney, Mellberg, Staunton, Wright, Angel, Hendrie, Kinsella, Barry, Vassell, Crouch. Subs: Postma, Hitzlsperger, Allback, De la Cruz, Samuel.
Referee: S Dunn