Villa move into fourth place

IT MIGHT be ostentatious and outrageously priced but it is difficult to argue that Gabriel Agbonlahor and his new white Lamborghini are uncomfortable bedfellows.

Whether the same can be said for his lime-green boots is another matter but no one at Aston Villa is complaining about what he does with his feet.

The leading English goalscorer in the Premier League can do no wrong at the moment, with Martin O'Neill even joking that he would like to spend a night on the town with the 22-year-old.

Agbonlahor was irrepressible here as his searing pace and composed finishing, allied to another beguiling performance from Ashley Young, lifted Villa to fourth.

O'Neill's players were queuing up to eulogise the duo afterwards, although the compliments were not confined to the home dressingroom. "Ashley and Gabby are as good as anything in the Premier League," offered Gary Megson. High praise indeed and, on this evidence, the Bolton manager might not be overstepping the mark after Agbonlahor struck twice, including a brilliantly executed opener, before setting up Young to drill home a sumptuous fourth.

Speed has long ceased to be Agbonlahor's sole attribute, something the Villa forward demonstrated when he fizzed a low volley under Jussi Jaaskelainen after his own brilliant cushioned header set up the chance. "His overall game has come together probably a lot quicker than I thought it would," admitted Gareth Barry, alluding to the striker's much-improved technique.

An awareness of others was also apparent when Agbonlahor raced on to Barry's beautifully weighted pass before cutting back for Young to convert. It was the coup de grace on an afternoon of exhilarating Villa attacking. "I've probably not played in as exciting a Villa team as this one," said Barry.

In fairness to Bolton, the home supporters were not without their uncomfortable moments earlier on. Johan Elmander's dexterous flick had already given Bolton the lead when Gretar Rafn Steinsson's header cannoned against the crossbar. At that point Villa must have feared another frustrating afternoon at home, but Agbonlahor's equaliser followed by Kevin Davies's own goal liberated O'Neill's side.

Megson bemoaned Bolton's poor defending but his decision to adopt a high line against a side replete with pace in attack was naive at best and suicidal at worst. Davies did add a late consolation, when he headed in Steinsson's cross, but a second successive defeat leaves Bolton once again looking over their shoulder, with only four points separating them from the relegation zone.

Villa's sights are trained on the opposite end of the table, with Arsenal's eagerly-anticipated visit on St Stephen's Day coming into view.

- Guardian Service