Villa's turnaround continues apace

Aston Villa - 2 Portsmouth - 1:English FA Premiership: Aston Villa served further notice that better times are around the corner with a victory over struggling Portsmouth that has elevated them to sixth place.

The talk at the club is now of possible participation in the UEFA Cup, whereas six weeks ago there were fears of a stint in the Nationwide League.

This was Villa's fourth win in five league games but they made hard work of beating opponents who were laid low by injuries.

Villa manager David O'Leary had made no secret of his disapproval at his side having to play two games in little more than as many days. Yet, in a dominant first half, there were no signs of fatigue despite their exertions in Sunday's FA Cup encounter against Manchester United.

Evidence of Villa's new confidence is apparent not just from their recent results but also the more expansive formation favoured by manager O'Leary. Gone is the opposition-stifling curtain of five across the midfield, replaced with a 4-4-2 line-up that sees Darius Vassell restored to his more familiar and favoured role as a striker.

And it was the England striker who created Villa's first attempt with a cross that found Lee Hendrie at the near post. The midfielder, showing no ill-effects from the facial injury that curtailed his involvement on Sunday, was first to the ball but his looping header landed on the roof of Pavel Srnicek's net.

Juan Pablo Angel, however, showed how headers should be executed when he put Villa ahead in the 22nd minute.

The move began with a quick throw on the left that Gareth Barry controlled with his chest before delivering a first time, left-foot cross. Waiting at the far post to receive it was Angel, who nodded the ball past Srnicek to register his 14th goal of the campaign.

Villa should have increased their lead shortly afterwards but Hendrie was again found wanting. This time his first touch let him down and, in giving himself a tighter angle after accepting Jlloyd Samuel's cross, he hit a post.

Despite Villa enjoying the majority of possession and territorial domination, they still had to keep a watchful eye on Jason Roberts. It was Roberts who forced the first corner, his pace resulting in a saving tackle from Mellberg.

And later he delivered the pass that set up Matthew Taylor for the visitors' first attempt on goal, the wing-back testing Thomas Sorensen with a right-foot shot from distance.

Villa's goalkeeper tipped that effort over the bar, but was less assured when a curling effort from Alexei Smertin bounced to safety off his chest.

Pompey's positive finish to the half suggested better things to come and it was a message Villa chose to ignore as the second got under way. Only four minutes had elapsed when Portsmouth equalised following Patrik Berger's free-kick on the left. Ayegbeni Yakubu was first to it, rising above Mellberg to head the ball powerfully past Sorensen.

Parity, however, should have been short-lived and would have been had Angel shown the sharpness in front of goal that has spawned a rain forest of transfer speculation.

Put clear by Gavin McCann in the inside right channel and one-on-one with Srnicek, the Colombian fired wide.

A draw looked to be on the cards but Villa finally secured the victory that looked to have eluded them when the ball hit Vassell and flew into the net following a scramble in the six-yard box.

Guardian Service

ASTON VILLA: Sorensen, Samuel, Mellberg, Dublin, Delaney, Barry, Whittingham (Hitzlsperger 66), McCann, Hendrie, Angel (Crouch 89), Vassell (Moore 86). Subs Not Used: Postma, Ridgewell. Goals: Angel 22, Vassell 85.

PORTSMOUTH: Srnicek, Primus, Pasanen, De Zeeuw, Zivkovic (Harper 89), Berger, Hughes, Smertin (Sheringham 89), Taylor, Yakubu, Roberts. Subs Not Used: Robinson, Burton, Knight. Goals: Yakubu 49.

Referee: J Winter (Cleveland).