| 2012–13 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner | Reform Acquisitions LLC | ||
| Chairman | Randy Lerner | ||
| Manager | Paul Lambert | ||
| Stadium | Villa Park | ||
| Premier League | 15th | ||
| FA Cup | Fourth round | ||
| League Cup | Semi-finals | ||
| Top goalscorer | League:Christian Benteke (19) All: Christian Benteke (23) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 42,084 (12 May 2013 vsChelsea,Premier League) | ||
| Lowest home attendance | 15,319 (28 August 2012 vsTranmere Rovers,League Cup) | ||
The2012-13 season wasAston Villa's 21st season in the Premier League. The2012–13 Premier League season wasthe club's 102nd season in the top flight, and 25th consecutive season in thePremier League. The club was managed byPaul Lambert,their third manager in three seasons, afterAlex McLeish was sacked on 14 May 2012, having himself only been in charge for 11 months and 4 days.[1][2] Lambert's first competitive match came on the opening day of the Premier League season on 18 August 2012, a 1–0 defeat to newly promotedWest Ham United atUpton Park.[3] Their first Premier League win came on 15 September 2012, a 2–0 victory againstSwansea City atVilla Park.[4] Lambert was handed a one-match touchline ban on 21 November 2012 for comments relating to apenalty decision in Villa's defeat toManchester City.[5] On his first return toCarrow Road, Lambert received a mixed reception from the Norwich fans on 11 December 2012 in aLeague Cup quarter-final which his Villa team won 4–1.[6]
On 23 December 2012, Villa were defeated 8–0 against Chelsea atStamford Bridge, the club's heaviest ever defeat in top-flight football.[7] This was followed by consecutive home defeats, with Villa losing 4–0 toTottenham Hotspur and 3–0 toWigan Athletic, leading to increased pressure on Lambert's position.[8][9] On 22 January 2013, Villa playedBradford City in the second leg of theLeague Cupsemi-final at Villa Park, having lost the first round tie 3–1 atValley Parade. The final score on the night was a 2–1 win for Villa, leaving an aggregate score of 4–3 to Bradford.[10] Lambert kept his job despite the poor run as the team flirted with the relegation places continuously over the next few months. Lambert did however manage to get Villa to record back-to-back wins for the first time since May 2011, as they defeated fellow relegation rivalsReading andQueens Park Rangers.[11][12] He then oversaw the club's biggest victory since 2008, as Villa thrashedSunderland 6–1.[13]
Villa finished 15th with the youngest starting eleven in the Premier League, leading to praise from punditAlan Hansen, who said that Lambert was "a contender for"Manager of the Season."[14] Highlights of the season included Lambert's summer acquisition of star strikerChristian Benteke, the introduction of Villa's Player of the Season, goalkeeperBrad Guzan, reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup and securing Villa's place in the Premier League for the 2013–14 season.[14] An under-21 Aston Villa team competed in the newProfessional Development League 1 that replaced thePremier Reserve League.[15] The under-19 Aston Villa team once again took part in theNextGen Series, after competing in theinaugural season and reaching thequarter finals.[16] The team went all the way to winthe competition to become only the second team to be crowned NextGen champions.[17][18]
The club began making plans for pre-season as early as 12 March 2012, when the free transfer of AustralianBrett Holman was announced, with the player officially joining on 1 July after his deal with former clubAZ expired.[19] Later that month, the club announced a pre-season tour of the United States that would see them travelling toChicago,Philadelphia andPortland.[20] Following the conclusion of theprevious season,Alex McLeish was sacked as manager on 14 May 2012 as a direct result – after Villa finished16th in theleague.[1] Managerless Villa then released a number of players on 23 May 2012 after their contracts had expired. First team players released includedCarlos Cuéllar,Emile Heskey andBrad Guzan, as well as a host of academy players.[21] Villa hiredPaul Lambert as their new manager on 2 June 2012, after the manager had impressed during his three-year spell atNorwich City.[2] The move was endorsed by players and fans alike who, after the disappointing previous season, saw this as a major positive step for the club.[22][23] Lambert set about making the job his, by appointing his two trusted allies:Ian Culverhouse, who became the new Villa Assistant Manager, and Gary Karsa, who was given a new role of "head of football operations" from old club Norwich as they were deemed surplus to requirements by Lambert's replacement,Chris Hughton.[24] Long-time staff memberKevin MacDonald, who had been with the club since 1995 in a number of roles, most recently as reserve team manager but former caretaker manager in 2010, left the club on 9 June 2012. On his departure, MacDonald stated, "I've had an incredible 17 years at Aston Villa, one of the biggest clubs in the country, and wish to thank all the staff and players I have worked with during my time at the club. I wish Aston Villa every success in the future."[25]
Lambert made his first signing a month into his reign (2 July) at Villa, when he signed Moroccan midfielderKarim El Ahmadi fromFeyenoord for an undisclosed fee, reported to be £2 million. El Ahmadi stated before his arrival that joining the club, and playing in thePremier League, would be a "dream come true" and that he was looking forward to "dictating games" for Villa.[26][27] Four days later (6 July), Lambert made his second summer signing when young defenderMatthew Lowton joined for an undisclosed fee, reported to be £3 million fromSheffield United[28] Following his move to Villa, Lowton stated that he hoped to emulate former Sheffield United playerPhil Jagielka in reaching theEngland squad.[29] The new manager announced on 16 July that the club would be re-signingBrad Guzan on a three-year deal, after he was previously released in May.[30] Lambert later stated that he had re-signed Guzan so that he could challengeShay Given for the number one spot, and Guzan backed this up by declaring he had not returned to sit on the bench.[31] 1 August 2012 saw two transfers at the club – one in, one out – asJames Collins returned to his former clubWest Ham United for £2.5 million, to pave the way for Villa to recruit central defenderRon Vlaar from Feyenoord – the second player of the summer to join Villa from theRotterdam club (after El Ahmadi) and the third from theEredivisie (after El Ahmadi and Holman). The club again announced the transfer as an undisclosed fee but the media reported the deal to be worth about £3 million. Vlaar immediately declared his ambition to become a Villa great and aimed to become a club legend in central defence, just asPaul McGrath andMartin Laursen had done so previously.[32][33] It was announced thatDarren Bent would become Villa's new club captain whilstStiliyan Petrov was absent, recovering from acute leukaemia.[34]
Villa's schedule saw them kick off their pre-season atBurton Albion on 14 July, with the Villans winning 2–1 thanks to an own goal and a debut goal for Brett Holman.[35] The Villa squad then made their way to the US for their tour with matches againstPhiladelphia Union,Chicago Fire andPortland Timbers. The first two games resulted in 1–0 victories for Villa, withNathan Delfouneso andGabriel Agbonlahor getting the goals against Philadelphia and Chicago respectively.[36][37]The final game turned out to be a dramatic 2–2 draw with the Villa goals scored by defendersCiaran Clark and new boyMatthew Lowton, who chalked up his first goal for the Claret and Blues. Ironically, both Villa goals came from set pieces, a feat Villa failed to achieve in the entirety of the last season. The Timbers equalised twice with goals fromSebastián Rincón andRodney Wallace, which sent the game into a penalty shootout (a tradition for pre-season games in the U.S.). Villa eventually ran out winners after a tense 5–4 shootout win.[38] The squad returned to England after staying undefeated in their tour and played their next friendly six days later againstPeterborough United. The club continued their unbeaten pre-season record by recording a 2–0 win, courtesy of goals from youngster Daniel Johnson and a second goal for the club for Brett Holman.[39] Lambert and his new look Villa side eventually suffered defeat in the next match, a 1–3 defeat byNottingham Forest.Barry Bannan's free kick, which levelled the scores at 1–1, was not enough for the Villa after two goals fromLewis McGugan and a killer third fromMarcus Tudgay sealed victory for theChampionship side.[40] The last fixture in their pre-season schedule saw Villa travel to Germany for a friendly against four-timeBundesliga championsWerder Bremen. The match was the final chance for Lambert to test out his new squad and hopefully decide his starting line up for the opening fixture against West Ham a week later. An exhilarating match that brought six goals in a 3–3 draw saw Villa lose the lead twice after initially being 1–0 down and Darren Bent grabbing a brace. Ciaran Clark scored his second goal of pre-season withNiclas Füllkrug,Eljero Elia andAaron Hunt getting the goals for Bremen. Lambert said after that the brace for Bent would fill him with confidence ahead of the upcoming season.[41][42]
| Month | Games | Won | Drew | Lost | Scored | Conceded | Points | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | Progression to League Cup third round |
ThePremier League fixture list was announced on 18 June 2012 and it gave Villa an away tie against newly promotedWest Ham United to open the new season. There were no meetings between the two clubslast season as West Ham were consigned to the Championship, but ironically this was the opening fixture for Villa in the2010–11 season which resulted in a 0–3 victory in Villa's favour, in whichJames Milner scored his last goal in his final appearance for the Villans before his move toManchester City.[43][44][45] TheLeague Cupsecond round draw also took place in August with Villa being handed a home tie versusLeague One sideTranmere Rovers to be played on 28 August.[46][47][48] Villa's first league game of the new season ended in defeat as they went down 0–1 to West Ham, courtesy of aKevin Nolan strike, atUpton Park.[49][50] On 24 August, the club were dealt a massive blow when promising young midfielderGary Gardner was ruled out for the entire season with ananterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in his right knee. This was his second ACL injury after previously injuring his left knee, in December 2009.[51] The same day,Jean Makoun completed a long-awaited loan move to FrenchLigue 1 clubRennes. After experiencing supposed work permit issues making him unable to take any part as a player of Aston Villa, Paul Lambert admitted he had never even met the player and that he was not part of his plans.[52][53][54][55] A day later, Villa lost their second league game of the season 1–3 toEverton. Goals fromSteven Pienaar,Marouane Fellaini andNikica Jelavić gave the Toffees a 0–3 half-time lead, beforeCiaran Clark was sent off for Villa after fouling Jelavić, who at the time was the last man.Karim El Ahmadi scored from 30 yards, his first for Villa, but ultimately it was just a consolation.[56][57] Villa and Lambert's first win of the new season came in theLeague Cup againstTranmere Rovers. Goals fromFabian Delph,Chris Herd and a first competitive goal since February 2012 forDarren Bent sealed a 3–0 victory for the Villans.[58][59] The following day, Villa signedEngland under-21 left backJoe Bennett fromMiddlesbrough on a four-year deal, for a fee rumoured to be between £2.5 and 4 million. Upon his arrival, Bennett stated, "I am really excited to have joined a massive club in Aston Villa and I'm eager to fight for a starting place and get in the team."[60][61] On 30 August, Villa drew Manchester City in thethird round of theLeague Cup. The match took place on 25 September at theEtihad Stadium.[62][63][64]
A busy summer transfer deadline day 2012, saw Villa sign three new players:midfielderAshley Westwood signed fromCrewe Alexandra on a four-year deal, andstrikersChristian Benteke fromK.R.C Genk andJordan Bowery fromChesterfield. Bowery signed a three-year deal and cost the club a rumored £500,000 with the fee rising to £1 million with add ons. Benteke signed a four-year deal for a fee believed to be £7 million, making him the most expensive transfer of the window for Villa .[65][66] Earlier in the day, a £7 million bid was also accepted byFulham for American forwardClint Dempsey, but the player ultimately rejected the deal as he favoured a move toLiverpool. The move to Liverpool later fell through and the player eventually joinedTottenham Hotspur.[67] One player also departed the club, asNathan Delfouneso joinedBlackpool on a season-long loan.[68][69]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Norwich City | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | −5 | 1 | |
| 18 | Queens Park Rangers | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | −5 | 1 | 2013–14Football League Championship |
| 19 | Southampton | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 0 | |
| 20 | Aston Villa | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 0 |
| Month | Games | Won | Drew | Lost | Scored | Conceded | Points | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 5 | Progression to League Cup fourth round |
Villa earned their first point of the season in the next game, after drawing 1–1 withNewcastle United at theSports Direct Arena.Ciaran Clark's first half goal was cancelled out by a wonder strike fromHatem Ben Arfa and Villa's performance was reported to be much improved after theEverton game. The draw also lifted Villa off the bottom of the table and out of the relegation zone, at this early stage.[70][71] The club's first league win of the season and first in 13 league matches came two weeks later, after the international break, as they beatSwansea City 2–0 atVilla Park – a reverse score of the fixture last season. A first competitive goal for the club forMatthew Lowton, a swerving volley, and a goal on his debut for substituteChristian Benteke wrapped up the points for Villa.Ron Vlaar was named captain for the match, replacingDarren Bent, who had captained the side in the previous matches.[72][73][74] On 21 September,Stephen Warnock joinedBolton Wanderers on a three-month loan. The left back had not made a competitive appearance beforehand after falling out of favour with the new manager.[75][76] The following day (22 September), Villa suffered a shock defeat at the hands of newly promoted and bottom of the tableSouthampton, going down 1–4 atSt Mary's. Villa took the lead through Darren Bent's first league goal of the season in the first half. However, goals fromNathaniel Clyne, a Ciaran Clark own goal and a brace, including a penalty, forRickie Lambert saw the South Coast club emphatically earn their first points of the season. Ron Vlaar was again named Villa captain, leading it to be believed that he had replaced Darren Bent as team captain.[77][78] Villa didn't let this result affect their next performance however, as they recorded a shock 2–4 victory againstchampionsManchester City in theLeague Cup on 25 September. Villa twice came back after being behind, first being 1–0 down and then 2–1 down.Mario Balotelli gave City a half time lead but aGareth Barryown goal against his former club put Villa level.Aleksandar Kolarov scored a trademarkfree kick, beforeGabriel Agbonlahor scored his first goal of the season to send the tie intoextra time.Charles N'Zogbia netted Villa's third after Agbonlahor's shot was parried byCostel Pantilimon before Agbonlahor grabbed his second and Villa's fourth, courtesy of a deflection, sending them through to the next round.[79][80] Villa's reward for defeating City was a potentially tricky away tie toLeague One sideSwindon Town, managed by formerWest Ham strikerPaolo Di Canio, to be played on 30 October.[81][82][83] Villa's final game of the month was a highly anticipatedWest Midlands derby against early high flyersWest Bromwich Albion, which ended 1–1. Each team wanted to show the other that they were the top team in the West Midlands, and Villa went about setting the Baggies straight with a dominant first half performance. However, it was West Brom who took the lead early in the second half, asJames Morrison beat an attempted offside trap and crossed a low ball towardsShane Long, before Villa captain Ron Vlaar's attempted clearance hit Long's foot and rolled pastBrad Guzan. Villa equalised through substitute Darren Bent in the 80th minute, after he coolly put in the rebound following a goal mouth scramble from a corner. The draw saw Villa register their worst ever start to aPremier League season, with only five points from six games.[84][85][86]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Sunderland | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 7 |
| 14 | Liverpool | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 12 | −3 | 5 |
| 15 | Aston Villa | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 10 | −4 | 5 |
| 16 | Wigan Athletic | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 11 | −6 | 4 |
| 17 | Southampton | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 18 | −8 | 3 |
| Month | Games | Won | Drew | Lost | Scored | Conceded | Points | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 1 | Progression to League Cup quarter-finals |
The team began the month with a trip tonorth London to playTottenham Hotspur atWhite Hart Lane. The match finished 2–0 to Spurs, with goals fromSteven Caulker andAaron Lennon condemning Villa to their fourth loss and continued their poor start to the season.[87][88] After a two-week international break, Villa returned to league action on 20 October againstFulham atCraven Cottage. Villa continued their worst start to a season in 26 years by losing their fifth game, as a lateChris Baird goal gave Fulham a 1–0 win. This loss left Villa one place and one point above the relegation zone.[89][90] On 23 October, promising youngsterDaniel Johnson joinedLeague One outfitYeovil Town on a month's loan.[91][92] The next match saw Lambert face his old clubNorwich City for the first time since leaving them to join Villa in the summer. The match ended 1–1 afterChristian Benteke gave Villa the lead, but Norwich replied throughMichael Turner, ten minutes from time.Joe Bennett was sent off for Villa after receiving two yellow cards, with Villa leading 1–0. This result meant that Villa did not win a league match in October and had still won only one so far this season.[93][94] However, Villa continued to excel in theLeague Cup as they knocked outSwindon Town, to advance. The match finished 3–2 to Villa but it took a 90th-minute winner from Christian Benteke to see Villa book their place in the quarter-finals. Villa had led 2–0, after goals from Benteke andGabriel Agbonlahor, and looked to be easing to a win before Swindon managed to level the score with two quickfire goals from 18-year-old substituteMiles Storey. However, Benteke's late winner sent Villa through and made sure of their only win in October.[95][96] The draw for thequarter-finals was made the following day, with Villa getting an away tie at Paul Lambert's former club Norwich to be played on 11 December.[97][98][99]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Wigan Athletic | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 15 | −5 | 8 | |
| 16 | Norwich City | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 18 | −11 | 7 | |
| 17 | Aston Villa | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 14 | −7 | 6 | |
| 18 | Reading | 8 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 17 | −6 | 4 | 2013–14Football League Championship |
| 19 | Southampton | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 14 | 26 | −12 | 4 |
| Month | Games | Won | Drew | Lost | Scored | Conceded | Points | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 7 | – |
The month started with a victory for Villa as they ran out 1–0 winners againstSunderland, managed by former managerMartin O'Neill, at theStadium of Light.Gabriel Agbonlahor scored the only goal of the game, his first in the league for 12 months, as Villa recorded their first away win since January.[100][101] Villa hostedManchester United in the next game, and roared into an unexpected 2–0 lead thanks to two goals fromAndreas Weimann, his first goals of the season. However, two goals from substituteJavier Hernández and anown goal fromRon Vlaar gave United a 2–3 victory atVilla Park.[102][103] The spirited performance the players showed in the last game (despite the loss) was soon forgotten as Villa were taught a lesson in their next match against thechampionsManchester City at theEtihad Stadium. City thrashed Villa 5–0 with braces each forSergio Agüero andCarlos Tevez, which included a highly controversialpenalty and a goal fromDavid Silva. The result meant they dropped down into the relegation places.[104][105] On 22 November,Alan Hutton joinedNottingham Forest on an emergency loan until 1 January. The right-back had not made a single appearance this season and had been banished from first team training, having been made to train with the reserve squad all season.[106][107] The club ended a trio of matches against formerPremier League champions with a home tie againstArsenal. The match was a stalemate finishing 0–0, with Villa earning a valuable point to go a point ahead of fellow strugglersReading, before their vital relegation scrap three days later (27 November).[108][109] The month finished the way it started for Villa as they grabbed a much needed win, as well as a clean sheet, against Reading. The match ended 1–0 courtesy of a lateChristian Benteke header. This result, coupled withSouthampton's draw with Norwich, meant Villa entered December outside of the relegation places.[110][111]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Wigan Athletic | 14 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 15 | 25 | −10 | 14 | |
| 16 | Sunderland | 13 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 16 | −4 | 13 | |
| 17 | Aston Villa | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 22 | −11 | 13 | |
| 18 | Southampton | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 21 | 31 | −10 | 12 | 2013–14Football League Championship |
| 19 | Reading | 13 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 16 | 23 | −7 | 9 |
| Month | Games | Won | Drew | Lost | Scored | Conceded | Points | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 18 | 5 | Progression to League Cup semi-finals |
December started with an away match against a winlessQueens Park Rangers team, rooted to the bottom of the table.Brett Holman gave Villa the lead within the first ten minutes with his first goal for the club.Jamie Mackie equalised for Rangers ten minutes later and the score stayed that way until the end, finishing 1–1.[112][113] The draw for thethird round of theFA Cup was made the next day (2 December), with Villa getting a home tie againstChampionship sideIpswich Town. The match was to be played on 5 January 2013.[114][115][116] Another draw followed the QPR game, as Villa drew 0–0 versus clean sheet specialistsStoke City atVilla Park.Darren Bent made his return for Villa, coming on as a substitute, having not played since 30 October.[117][118] Villa's next match came in the form of aLeague Cupquarter-final againstPaul Lambert's former clubNorwich City. Much was made of Lambert's first return toCarrow Road, made even more intense by the reported lawsuits being filed between both parties. The Villa team made it a very happy return for Lambert, running out 1–4 winners against the Canaries.Andreas Weimann grabbed his second brace of the season and goals from Brett Holman andChristian Benteke booked Villa's place in thesemi-finals for the second time in four seasons.[119][120] This result filled the young Villa team with massive confidence going into their next game againstLiverpool atAnfield, where they gained only their second away win of the season with a 1–3 success. A brace from Christian Benteke and a third from Andreas Weimann meant Villa had led 0–3 beforeSteven Gerrard scored a late consolation for the Reds. The result extended Villa's unbeaten run to six games in all competitions and lifted them up to 14th in the Premier League, their highest position since 22 September.[121][122] The draw for thesemi-finals of theLeague cup was made on 19 December, eight days after Villa had booked their place, following theLeeds United/Chelsea quarter-final. Villa will playBradford City over two legs, the first being played away atValley Parade on 8 January 2013, with the second atVilla Park on 22 January 2013.[123][124][125] Villa's unbeaten run came to a shuddering halt in the last game before Christmas as the team went down 8–0 toChelsea atStamford Bridge, their heaviest ever defeat in the Premier League.[126][127] Villa's Christmas misery continued into the next game after they were beaten 0–4 byTottenham Hotspur. The first goal was scored byJermain Defoe, beforeGareth Bale got his first Premier League hat-trick to seal a convincing win for Spurs.[128][129] Villa's festive period nightmare continued further as they lost their third game in a row against fellow strugglersWigan Athletic, 0–3. An early goal from defenderIván Ramis and second half goals fromEmerson Boyce andArouna Koné sent Wigan above Villa in the table. Villa finished the 2012 calendar year in 17th place, only one point off the relegation places but with a much inferior goal difference than their rivals after conceding 15 goals in the three festive period games.[130][131]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Newcastle United | 20 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 26 | 37 | −11 | 20 | |
| 16 | Wigan Athletic | 20 | 5 | 3 | 12 | 22 | 35 | −13 | 18 | |
| 17 | Aston Villa | 20 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 15 | 39 | −24 | 18 | |
| 18 | Southampton | 19 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 26 | 37 | −11 | 17 | 2013–14Football League Championship |
| 19 | Reading | 20 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 22 | 37 | −15 | 13 |
| Month | Games | Won | Drew | Lost | Scored | Conceded | Points | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 13 | 2 | Eliminated from League Cup Eliminated from FA Cup |
Villa began 2013 with a 2–2 draw againstSwansea City at theLiberty Stadium.Wayne Routledge gave the Swans an early lead, before anAndreas Weimann strike on the stroke of half-time brought Villa level. Villa looked to have snatched a vital win, when they earned an 84th-minute penalty (their first in almost a year) which was converted byChristian Benteke. However, a stoppage time equalizer fromDanny Graham made sure the points were shared.[132][133] The club gained their first win of the new year, as they beatIpswich Town 2–1 in theFA Cup on 5 January. Villa had to come from behind however, asMichael Chopra's deflected shot gave Ipswich a half time lead.Darren Bent equalized immediately after the break with a goal against his former club and
Andreas Weimann booked Villa's place in the fourth round with an 83rd-minute winner.[134][135] Villa were then drawn to faceMillwall atThe Den in thefourth round of theFA Cup to be played on 25 January.[136][137][138] The first leg of theLeague Cup semi-final againstBradford City was next for Villa three days later. The match did not go the way Villa would have thought, wanted or hoped for though as they lost 1–3 to the Bantams atValley Parade. Bradford took the lead early in the first half asNahki Wells beat the offside trap to finish neatly pastShay Given after a deflected shot.Matt Duke made a series of inspired saves throughout both halves keeping Villa at bay, beforeRory McArdle put Bradford 2–0 up in the 77th minute. Villa pulled a goal back five minutes later through Andreas Weimann, but Bradford regained their two-goal advantage whenCarl McHugh fired a header past Given to give Bradford a shock victory and leave Villa with all the work to do in the second leg to reach the final.[139][140] Villa'sLeague Cup hangover continued as they were beaten 0–1 by fellow strugglersSouthampton in a must win six-pointer.Rickie Lambert converted a highly controversial penalty won byJay Rodriguez, who looked to have gone done with no contact under the challenge ofEnda Stevens. This result meant Southampton leapfrogged Villa, who dropped back into the relegation places for the first time since November.[141][142] The team then competed in a local derby againstWest Bromwich Albion, where they threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2–2.Christian Benteke andGabriel Agbonlahor gave Villa a half time lead butChris Brunt pulled a goal back immediately after the break for the Baggies. They continued to attack, controlling the game, and eventuallyPeter Odemwingie equalized meaning the points were shared.[143][144] Villa's misery then continued, as the team was knocked out of theLeague Cup byfourth-tierBradford City. After losing 1–3 in the first leg, Villa had to win by two clear goals to take the tie to extra-time. However, they could only manage a 2–1 victory (3–4 on aggregate) and exited the competition as a result.[145][146] Yet more gloom and doom followed as the team were knocked out of a second cup in four days. after losing 1–2 againstMillwall in theFA Cup.Darren Bent gave Villa the lead butDanny Shittu equalized five minutes later for the hosts, with Villa conceding from yet another corner. Just as a replay looked on the cards,John Marquis grabbed the winner for theChampionship outfit, to send them through and pile even more pressure onto the extremely fragile Villa team and managerPaul Lambert.[147][148] Villa's awful January was compounded in their last game of the month, againstNewcastle United. Newcastle raced into a 2–0 half time lead after goals fromPapiss Cissé andYohan Cabaye butChristian Benteke pulled a goal back for Villa early in the second half from the penalty spot. However, it was not enough as the Toon held on for the win, despite a major Villa fightback. This result was Villa's fourth home defeat in a row.[149][150]
Deadline day saw Villa make their only transfers of the January transfer window, as they signed defensive midfielderYacouba Sylla fromLigue 2 sideClermont Foot as well asSimon Dawkins on loan fromTottenham Hotspur.[151][152][153][154] Both players continued Paul Lambert's system of buying inexperienced, cheap players as opposed to the experienced players Villa desperately required. Lambert later stated that he just did not have the money to buy big names, pay high wages and compete with their rivals, with some sources stating the kitty to be as low as
£3 million.[155]
Stephen Warnock left Villa to joinLeeds United, having not made an appearance all season, after three years at the club.[156][157]Alan Hutton had also left, as he joined Spanish sideMallorca on 29 January on loan until the end of the season.[158][159]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Reading | 24 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 30 | 45 | −15 | 20 | |
| 18 | Wigan Athletic | 24 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 27 | 45 | −18 | 20 | 2013–14Football League Championship |
| 19 | Aston Villa | 24 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 46 | −26 | 20 | |
| 20 | Queens Park Rangers | 24 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 18 | 37 | −19 | 16 |
| Month | Games | Won | Drew | Lost | Scored | Conceded | Points | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 4 | – |
February started with a mixed result for Villa as they drew 3–3 with high-flyingEverton. On one hand, Villa picked up a vital and unexpected point however they had led 3–1 at one point, after goals fromChristian Benteke (2) andGabriel Agbonlahor. They then conceded another goal and a stoppage time equaliser asMarouane Fellaini made sure the points were shared. This result kept Villa second from bottom in thePremier League.[160][161] Villa finally ended their eight-game winless run, as well as four home defeats in a row with a 2–1 victory overWest Ham United atVilla Park. A lackluster first half saw few chances for either side, with the only one of note seeingAndreas Weimann shoot wide from six yards afterJussi Jääskeläinen had spilled a Christian Benteke shot. Benteke then scored a penalty to give Villa a 74th-minute lead, beforeCharles N'Zogbia, who had himself won the penalty, scored a sublimefree kick four minutes later. AnAshley Westwood own goal made for a nervy last few minutes but Villa held on for a precious three points, to move out of the relegation zone.[162][163] Despite the brilliant win against West Ham, Villa lost their last game of the month againstArsenal 2–1 after a late winner fromSanti Cazorla, leaving them in 18th place at the end of February.[164][165]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Southampton | 27 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 38 | 49 | −11 | 27 | |
| 17 | Wigan Athletic | 27 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 33 | 51 | −18 | 24 | |
| 18 | Aston Villa | 27 | 5 | 9 | 13 | 26 | 52 | −26 | 24 | 2013–14Football League Championship |
| 19 | Reading | 27 | 5 | 8 | 14 | 33 | 51 | −18 | 23 | |
| 20 | Queens Park Rangers | 27 | 2 | 11 | 14 | 19 | 43 | −24 | 17 |
| Month | Games | Won | Drew | Lost | Scored | Conceded | Points | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 6 | – |
Villa started March as they had ended February with defeat by one of the higher ranking sides, losing 0–1 toManchester City atVilla Park. ACiaran Clark slip in his own half eventually led toCarlos Tevez grabbing the winner for City.[166][167] However, Villa then won back to back matches in the Premier League for the first time since May 2011, after beating two major relegation rivals inReading andQueens Park Rangers. The Reading game marked the first time in the season that Villa had come from behind to win, eventually winning 1–2.[168][169] They then managed to achieve this feat again when they defeated QPR who had led 0–1. The match eventually finished 3–2 to Villa, temporarily putting a six-point gap between themselves and the relegation zone.[170][171] The next match, however, saw Villa's mini revival come to an end as they were defeated 1–2 byLiverpool at Villa Park, seeing them again slip into the relegation zone on goal difference.[172][173]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Sunderland | 31 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 33 | 43 | −10 | 31 | |
| 17 | Wigan Athletic | 30 | 8 | 6 | 16 | 36 | 56 | −20 | 30 | |
| 18 | Aston Villa | 31 | 7 | 9 | 15 | 32 | 58 | −26 | 30 | 2013–14Football League Championship |
| 19 | Queens Park Rangers | 31 | 4 | 11 | 16 | 28 | 51 | −23 | 23 | |
| 20 | Reading | 31 | 5 | 8 | 18 | 36 | 61 | −25 | 23 |
| Month | Games | Won | Drew | Lost | Scored | Conceded | Points | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 7 | – |
Villa started April perfectly, with a 1–3 away victory overStoke City at theBritannia Stadium.Gabriel Agbonlahor gave Villa an early lead that lasted until the 80th minute whenMichael Kightly equalised for Stoke. However, a spectacular volley fromMatthew Lowton put Villa back in front with less than five minutes to go. From 30 yards out, Lowton chested down a clearance from a corner and sweetly struck the ball past goalkeeperAsmir Begović.Christian Benteke then skipped through the Stoke defence and slid the ball into the back of the net to wrap up the points for Villa, as well as the third win in their last four games.[174][175] Villa drew 1–1 in their next game againstFulham, withCharles N'Zogbia giving Villa the lead but aFabian Delphown goal meant the points were shared.[176][177] Villa then facedManchester United, with United being crowned champions if they won. They did so, 3–0, afterRobin van Persie scored ahat-trick within the first 33 minutes of the game.[178][179] Villa's final game of the month saw them thrashSunderland 6–1 at Villa Park, giving them their best result of the season and ofPaul Lambert's reign. The result was also Villa's biggest home win in 17 years and the first time they had scored six in a match since the2007–08 season.Christian Benteke scored his first hat-trick for Villa, becoming the first player to do so in five years, which meant he both exceededDwight Yorke's record of 17Premier League goals in a season and became the first Villa player to reach 20 goals in a season in nine years.
Gabriel Agbonlahor also scored, making him Villa's highest Premier League goalscorer with 61 goals. CaptainRon Vlaar, with his first goal for the club, andAndreas Weimann wrapped up a memorable night for Villa as they went five points clear of the drop zone and aboveNewcastle United on goal difference, after an 11-goal swing.[180][181][182]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Norwich City | 35 | 8 | 14 | 13 | 33 | 54 | −21 | 38 | |
| 15 | Sunderland | 35 | 9 | 10 | 16 | 39 | 51 | −12 | 37 | |
| 16 | Aston Villa | 35 | 9 | 10 | 16 | 42 | 64 | −22 | 37 | |
| 17 | Newcastle United | 35 | 10 | 7 | 18 | 43 | 66 | −23 | 37 | |
| 18 | Wigan Athletic | 34 | 8 | 8 | 18 | 39 | 62 | −23 | 32 | 2013–14 Football League Championship |
| Month | Games | Won | Drew | Lost | Scored | Conceded | Points | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 4 | – |
The first game of the month saw Villa continue their good form by beatingNorwich City 1–2 atCarrow Road to send them up to 13th in the table as well as to the 40-point mark.
Gabriel Agbonlahor scored both of Villa's goals, including the 89th-minute winner, either side of aGrant Holt penalty.[183][184] On 9 May, club captainStiliyan Petrov announced his retirement from football after battling acute leukaemia for over a year. Villa added Petrov to the club's hall of fame, an honour only 12 other players have received.[185][186] Villa lost their last home game of the season 1–2 againstChelsea. Both teams had a man sent off,Ramires for Chelsea and Villa's goalscorerChristian Benteke.Frank Lampard became Chelsea all-time top scorer as he scored both of their goals.[187][188] Villa's final game of the season came againstWigan Athletic. Wigan had been relegated mid-week after defeat byArsenal which confirmed Villa's safety. The match itself finished 2–2, with Villa's goals coming fromDarren Bent andRon Vlaar in either half. Villa finished the season in 15th place, five points clear of relegation.[189][190]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Stoke City | 38 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 34 | 45 | −11 | 42 |
| 14 | Southampton | 38 | 9 | 14 | 15 | 49 | 60 | −11 | 41 |
| 15 | Aston Villa | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 47 | 69 | −22 | 41 |
| 16 | Newcastle United | 38 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 45 | 68 | −23 | 41 |
| 17 | Sunderland | 38 | 9 | 12 | 17 | 41 | 54 | −13 | 39 |
In the2010–11 season the Premier League introduced new rules on squad lists. The rules included a cap on the number of players at 25; players under the age of 21 on 1 January of the year in which the season starts are exempt from the list of 25. A "home-grown rule" also requires clubs to name at least eight players in their squad of 25 players that have been registered domestically for a minimum of three seasons prior to their 21st birthday.[196][197][198]
Players under 21 do not need to be named and can still be used.Squad subject to change during summer transfer window.
| Squad No. | Name | Nationality | Position | Date of birth (age) | Signed from | Signed in | Contract ends | Apps. | Goals | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | ||||||||||
| 1 | Shay Given |  | GK | (1976-04-20)20 April 1976 (age 49) | Manchester City | 2011 | 2016 | 43 | 0 | |
| 22 | Brad Guzan |  | GK | (1984-09-09)9 September 1984 (age 41) | Chivas USA | 2012 | 2015 | 56 | 0 | Re-signed this season.1 |
| 33 | Andy Marshall |  | GK | (1975-04-14)14 April 1975 (age 50) | Coventry City | 2010 | 2013 | 0 | 0 | |
| 39 | Benjamin Siegrist |  | GK | (1992-01-31)31 January 1992 (age 34) | Aston Villa Academy | 2012 | 2014 | 0 | 0 | |
| Defenders | ||||||||||
| 2 | Alan Hutton |  | DF | (1984-11-30)30 November 1984 (age 41) | Tottenham Hotspur | 2011 | 2015 | 34 | 0 | On loan atRCD Mallorca |
| 4 | Ron Vlaar |  | DF | (1985-02-16)16 February 1985 (age 41) | Feyenoord | 2012 | 2015 | 30 | 2 | |
| 5 | Richard Dunne | | DF | (1979-09-21)21 September 1979 (age 46) | Manchester City | 2009 | 2013 | 111 | 4 | Team captain.2 |
| 6 | Ciaran Clark | | DF | (1989-09-26)26 September 1989 (age 36) | Aston Villa Academy | 2009 | 2014 | 79 | 5 | |
| 27 | Joe Bennett | | DF | (1990-03-28)28 March 1990 (age 35) | Middlesbrough | 2012 | 2016 | 30 | 0 | |
| 29 | Enda Stevens | | DF | (1990-07-09)9 July 1990 (age 35) | Shamrock Rovers | 2012 (Winter) | 2015 | 9 | 0 | |
| 30 | Eric Lichaj | | DF | (1988-11-17)17 November 1988 (age 37) | Aston Villa Academy | 2008 | 2013 | 41 | 2 | |
| 32 | Nathan Baker | | DF | (1991-04-23)23 April 1991 (age 34) | Aston Villa Academy | 2009 | 2014 | 43 | 0 | |
| 34 | Matthew Lowton | | DF | (1989-06-09)9 June 1989 (age 36) | Sheffield United | 2012 | 2016 | 44 | 2 | |
| 37 | Derrick Williams | | DF | (1993-01-17)17 January 1993 (age 33) | Aston Villa Academy | 2012 | undisclosed | 1 | 0 | |
| Midfielders | ||||||||||
| 7 | Stephen Ireland | | MF | (1986-08-22)22 August 1986 (age 39) | Manchester City | 2010 | 2014 | 49 | 1 | |
| 8 | Karim El Ahmadi |  | MF | (1985-01-27)27 January 1985 (age 41) | Feyenoord | 2012 | 2015 | 23 | 1 | |
| 10 | Charles N'Zogbia |  | MF | (1986-05-28)28 May 1986 (age 39) | Wigan Athletic | 2011 | 2016 | 58 | 5 | |
| 12 | Marc Albrighton | | MF | (1989-11-18)18 November 1989 (age 36) | Aston Villa Academy | 2009 | 2014 | 80 | 9 | |
| 14 | Brett Holman |  | MF | (1984-03-27)27 March 1984 (age 41) | AZ | 2012 | undisclosed | 29 | 2 | |
| 15 | Ashley Westwood | | MF | (1990-04-01)1 April 1990 (age 35) | Crewe Alexandra | 2012 | 2016 | 31 | 0 | |
| 16 | Fabian Delph | | MF | (1989-11-21)21 November 1989 (age 36) | Leeds United | 2009 | 2015 | 69 | 0 | |
| 17 | Jean Makoun |  | MF | (1983-05-29)29 May 1983 (age 42) | Lyon | 2011 (Winter) | 2014 | 11 | 0 | On loan toStade Rennais. |
| 18 | Yacouba Sylla |  | MF | (1990-11-29)29 November 1990 (age 35) | Clermont Foot | 2013 (Winter) | 2016 | 11 | 0 | |
| 19 | Stiliyan Petrov |  | MF | (1979-07-05)5 July 1979 (age 46) | Celtic | 2006 | 2013 | 218 | 12 | Petrov was club captain but retired on 9 May 2013.2 |
| 25 | Barry Bannan | | MF | (1989-12-01)1 December 1989 (age 36) | Aston Villa Academy | 2008 | 2014 | 82 | 2 | |
| 31 | Chris Herd | | MF | (1989-04-04)4 April 1989 (age 36) | Aston Villa Academy | 2008 | 2015 | 40 | 2 | |
| 38 | Gary Gardner | | MF | (1992-06-29)29 June 1992 (age 33) | Aston Villa Academy | 2011 | 2014 | 18 | 0 | |
| 40 | Samir Carruthers | | MF | (1993-04-04)4 April 1993 (age 32) | Aston Villa Academy | 2012 | undisclosed | 3 | 0 | |
| Forwards | ||||||||||
| 9 | Darren Bent | | FW | (1984-02-06)6 February 1984 (age 42) | Sunderland | 2011 (Winter) | 2015 | 64 | 25 | |
| 11 | Gabriel Agbonlahor | | FW | (1986-10-13)13 October 1986 (age 39) | Aston Villa Academy | 2005 | 2015 | 285 | 72 | |
| 20 | Christian Benteke |  | FW | (1990-12-03)3 December 1990 (age 35) | Racing Genk | 2012 | 2016 | 39 | 23 | |
| 21 | Jordan Bowery | | FW | (1991-07-02)2 July 1991 (age 34) | Chesterfield | 2012 | 2015 | 12 | 0 | |
| 23 | Nathan Delfouneso | | FW | (1991-02-02)2 February 1991 (age 35) | Aston Villa Academy | 2008 | 2014 | 44 | 9 | On loan to Blackpool. |
| 24 | Simon Dawkins | | FW | (1987-12-01)1 December 1987 (age 38) | Tottenham Hotspur | 2013 (Winter) | 2013 | 4 | 0 | On fromTottenham Hotspur |
| 26 | Andreas Weimann |  | FW | (1991-08-05)5 August 1991 (age 34) | Aston Villa Academy | 2010 | 2014 | 49 | 13 | |
| 36 | Graham Burke | | FW | (1993-12-21)21 December 1993 (age 32) | Aston Villa Academy | 2012 | undisclosed | 2 | 0 | |
Players listed inbold are also part of the first team squad, as listed on the club's official website.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
DutchmanRon Vlaar takes over the vacant number 4 after his move fromFeyenoord andCiaran Clark receives the number 6 afterJames Collins' departure toWest Ham. NewstrikerJordan Bowery takes over Clark's number 21, while new signingKarim El Ahmadi receives the number 8 shirt for this season, last worn byJermaine Jenas after his short loan spell at Villalast season. Fellow new recruitsBrett Holman andMatthew Lowton have been handed the number 14 and 34 shirts respectively. The former occupier of number 14,Nathan Delfouneso, now takes the number 23 shirt as a result of Holman's arrival.Brad Guzan retains the number 22 after being re-signed byPaul Lambert, having previously been released in May 2012.
Deadline day signingsAshley Westwood andChristian Benteke will wear number 15 and 20 respectively, whilstJoe Bennett acquires the number 27.
Young goalkeeperBenjamin Siegrist has been promoted to the first team for this season and has been handed number 39.
| Player | Position | Previous squad number | New squad number | Previous player to wear number | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ron Vlaar | DF | N/A | 4 | Steve Sidwell (2009–10 season) | Squad number was vacant upon player's arrival. | [198][201] |
| Ciaran Clark | DF | 21 | 6 |  James Collins (2011–12 season) | [198][201] | |
| Karim El Ahmadi | MF | N/A | 8 | Jermaine Jenas (2011–12 season) | Squad number was vacant upon player's arrival. | [198][201] |
| Brett Holman | FW | N/A | 14 | Nathan Delfouneso (2011–12 season) | Delfouneso vacated the No. 14 upon Holman's arrival. | [198][201] |
| Ashley Westwood | MF | N/A | 15 | Curtis Davies (2009–10 season) | Squad number was vacant upon player's arrival. | [198][202][203] |
| Yacouba Sylla | MF | N/A | 18 | Emile Heskey (2011–12 season) | Squad number was vacant upon player's arrival. | [198] |
| Christian Benteke | FW | N/A | 20 | Robbie Keane (2011–12 season) | Squad number was vacant upon player's arrival. | [198][202][203] |
| Jordan Bowery | FW | N/A | 21 | Ciaran Clark (2011–12 season) | Squad number was vacant upon player's arrival. | [198][204] |
| Nathan Delfouneso | FW | 14 | 23 |  Habib Beye (2011–12 season) | Squad number was previously vacant. | [198][201] |
| Simon Dawkins | FW | N/A | 24 |  Carlos Cuéllar (2011–12 season) | Squad number was vacant upon player's arrival. | [198] |
| Joe Bennett | DF | N/A | 27 | Isaiah Osbourne (2010–11 season) | Squad number was vacant upon player's arrival. | [198][205] |
| Matthew Lowton | DF | N/A | 34 | Shane Lowry (2011–12 season) | Squad number was vacant upon player's arrival. | [198][201] |
| Benjamin Siegrist | GK | N/A | 39 | Darren Bent (2010–11 season) | Siegrist promoted to first team and received #39; squad number was previously vacant. | [198][201] |
Summer
| Date | Position | Player name | Previous club | League | Transfer fee | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2012 | MF | Brett Holman | AZ | Eredivisie | Free transfer | Transfer announced on 12 March 2012; player joined following expiry of contract atAZ. | [19] |
| 2 July 2012 | MF | Karim El Ahmadi | Feyenoord | Eredivisie | Undisclosed | Fee rumoured to be in region of £2 million. | [26] |
| 6 July 2012 | DF | Matthew Lowton | Sheffield United | League One | Undisclosed | Fee rumoured to be in region of £3 million. | [28] |
| 16 July 2012 | GK | Brad Guzan | Unattached | N/A | Contract renewal | Player initially released in May, but rejoined the club on 16 July. | [21][30][206] |
| 1 August 2012 | DF | Ron Vlaar | Feyenoord | Eredivisie | £3.2 million | [33] | |
| 29 August 2012 | DF | Joe Bennett | Middlesbrough | Championship | Undisclosed | Fee rumoured to be between £2.5 and 4 million. | [60][61] |
| 31 August 2012 | MF | Ashley Westwood | Crewe Alexandra | League One | Undisclosed | Fee rumoured to be in region £2 million. | [194][66] |
| 31 August 2012 | FW | Jordan Bowery | Chesterfield | League Two | Undisclosed | Fee rumoured to be £500,000, rising to £1m based on appearances. | [192][65] |
| 31 August 2012 | FW | Christian Benteke | Racing Genk | Belgian Pro League | £7 million | [191][66] |
Winter
| Date | Position | Player name | Previous club | League | Transfer fee | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 January 2013 | MF | Yacouba Sylla | Clermont Foot | Ligue 2 | Undisclosed | Fee rumoured to be in region of £2 million | [151][152] |
Total spending:
£22 million +
Summer
Winter
| Date | Position | Player name | New club | League | Transfer fee | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 January 2013 | DF | Stephen Warnock | Leeds United | Championship | Free transfer | [156][157] |
Total income:
£2.5 million
Winter
| Date | Position | Player name | New club | League | Duration | Return Date | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 January 2013 | FW | Simon Dawkins | Tottenham Hotspur | Premier League | 6 months | June 2013 | [153][154] |
Summer
| Date | Position | Player name | New club | League | Duration | Return Date | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 August 2012 | MF | Jean Makoun | Rennes | Ligue 1 | Season-long | June 2013 | [52][53] | |
| 31 August 2012 | FW | Nathan Delfouneso | Blackpool | Championship | Season-long | June 2013 | [68][69] | |
| 21 September 2012 | DF | Stephen Warnock | Bolton Wanderers | Championship | 3 months | 22 December 2012 | [75][76] |
Winter
| Date | Position | Player name | New club | League | Duration | Return Date | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 October 2012 | MF | Daniel Johnson | Yeovil Town | League One | 1 month | 21 November 2012 | [91][92][211] | |
| 22 November 2012 | DF | Alan Hutton | Nottingham Forest | Championship | 1 month | 1 January 2012 | [106][107] | |
| 29 January 2013 | DF | Alan Hutton | Mallorca | La Liga | 6 months | June 2013 | [158][159] |
          Home | Home Alt. |      Away |
    1ª Goalkeeper |    2ª Goalkeeper |   3ª Goalkeeper |
In February 2012, it was announced that Aston Villa will have a new kit sponsor for this season, ending the existing deal withNike that has been running since 2007. Italian sportswear manufacturerMacron will produce the club's playing and training kits from 2012 to 2013.[212] Villa will become Macron's flagship club in the United Kingdom, and the deal will see the latter producing a full fashion range alongside kit commitments for the managerial and playing staff.
Villa's club sponsorship deal with Malaysian-based groupGenting Casinos will also continue.[213]
The club have appointed a new manager for this season (the third in a row) afterAlex McLeish was sacked on 14 May 2012. McLeish only lasted eleven months in charge after replacingGérard Houllier in June 2011.
He was replaced by fellowScotPaul Lambert on 2 June, who was signed fromNorwich City. Lambert remained as Aston Villa manager for the entire season.
| Date of vacancy | Outgoing manager | Date of appointment | Incoming manager | Previous club | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 May 2012 | Alex McLeish | 2 June 2012 | Paul Lambert | Norwich City | [1][2] |
| Number | Nation | Name | Premier League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | Notes | ||||
| Start | Sub | Start | Sub | Start | Sub | Start | Sub | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | |||||||||||
| 1 | | Given | 2 | – | 2 | – | 5 | – | 9 | 0 | |
| 22 | | Guzan | 36 | – | – | – | 1 | – | 37 | 0 | |
| 33 | | Marshall | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | |
| 39 | | Siegrist | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | |
| Defenders | |||||||||||
| 2 | | Hutton | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | [Note 1] |
| 3 | | Warnock | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | [Note 2] |
| 4 | | Vlaar | 26 | – | 1 | – | 3 | – | 30 | 0 | |
| 5 | | Dunne | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | [Note 3] |
| 6 | | Clark | 30 | – | 2 | – | 3 | – | 35 | 0 | |
| 27 | | Bennett | 21 | 4 | 2 | – | 2 | – | 25 | 4 | |
| 29 | | Stevens | 6 | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 | 7 | 2 | |
| 30 | | Lichaj | 9 | 8 | 2 | – | 3 | 1 | 14 | 9 | |
| 32 | | Baker | 25 | 1 | 1 | – | 2 | – | 28 | 1 | |
| 34 | | Lowton | 37 | – | 1 | – | 5 | – | 43 | 0 | |
| 37 | | Williams | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | |
| Midfielders | |||||||||||
| 7 | | Ireland | 9 | 4 | – | 1 | 3 | – | 12 | 5 | |
| 8 | | El Ahmadi | 13 | 6 | – | – | 3 | – | 15 | 7 | |
| 10 | | N'Zogbia | 10 | 10 | 2 | – | 3 | 2 | 15 | 12 | |
| 12 | | Albrighton | 4 | 5 | 1 | – | – | 1 | 5 | 6 | |
| 14 | | Holman | 16 | 11 | – | – | 1 | 1 | 17 | 12 | |
| 15 | | Westwood | 27 | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | 28 | 2 | |
| 16 | | Delph | 19 | 4 | 2 | – | 4 | 1 | 25 | 5 | |
| 17 | | Makoun | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | [Note 4] |
| 18 | | Sylla | 8 | 3 | – | – | – | – | 8 | 3 | [Note 5] |
| 19 | | Petrov | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | [Note 6] |
| 25 | | Bannan | 20 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | – | 24 | 6 | |
| 31 | | Herd | 9 | – | – | – | 3 | 1 | 12 | 1 | |
| 35 | | Johnson | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | [Note 7] |
| 38 | | Gardner | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | [Note 8] |
| 40 | | Carruthers | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | |
| Forwards | |||||||||||
| 9 | | Bent | 8 | 8 | 2 | – | 2 | 2 | 12 | 10 | |
| 11 | | Agbonlahor | 23 | 4 | – | 1 | 3 | – | 27 | 5 | |
| 20 | | Benteke | 34 | 2 | – | – | 5 | – | 39 | 2 | |
| 21 | | Bowery | 3 | 7 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 4 | 8 | |
| 23 | | Delfouneso | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | [Note 9] |
| 24 | | Dawkins | – | 4 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 4 | [Note 10] |
| 26 | | Weimann | 25 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 30 | 7 | |
| 36 | | Burke | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
Last updated: 19 May 2013
Source:Squad stats andStart formations.
Only competitive matches.
Using the most usedstart formation.
Ordered by position on pitch (from back right to front left).
Players listed are those who have most appearances in respected positions.
Includes Cup competitions as well (League Cup &FA Cup).
| No. | P | Name | Country | No. games | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | DF | Vlaar | | 28 | Team captain1 |
| 6 | DF | Clark | | 11 | Team captain |
| 9 | FW | Bent | | 4 | Team captain1 |
| 11 | FW | Agbonlahor | | 3 | Team captain |
Last updated: 19 May 2013
Source:Competitive match reports.
Competitive matches only
Matches started as captain only
Country: FIFA nationality;No.: Squad number;P:Position;Name: Player name;No. Games: Number of games started as captain.
1 Bent was originally named asStiliyan Petrov's successor for the season but Vlaar replaced him from 15 September 2012.[34][74]
Correct as of 19 May 2013
Players with the same number of goals are listed by their position on the club's official websiteSource
Players highlighted in light grey denote the player had scored for the club before leaving for another club
Players highlighted in light cyan denote the player has scored for the club after arriving at Aston Villa during the season
Players highlighted in Blonde denote the player has scored for the club before leaving the club on loan for part/the rest of the season
| Pos. | Playing Pos. | Nation | Name | Premier League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FW | | Christian Benteke | 19 | 4 | 23 | |
| 2 | FW | | Gabriel Agbonlahor | 9 | 3 | 12 | |
| FW | | Andreas Weimann | 7 | 1 | 4 | 12 | |
| 3 | FW | | Darren Bent | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 4 | MF | | Charles N'Zogbia | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| 5 | DF | | Ron Vlaar | 2 | 2 | ||
| DF | | Matthew Lowton | 2 | 2 | |||
| FW | | Brett Holman | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 6 | DF | | Ciaran Clark | 1 | 1 | ||
| MF | | Karim El Ahmadi | 1 | 1 | |||
| MF | | Fabian Delph | 1 | 1 | |||
| MF | | Chris Herd | 1 | 1 | |||
| Own Goals | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Total | 47 | 3 | 17 | 67 | |||
Includes all competitive matches.
| R | No. | Pos | Nat | Name | Premier League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 | GK | | Brad Guzan | 5 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| TOTALS | 5 | 0 | 1 | 6 | ||||
Correct as of 19 May 2013
Players with the same number of cards are listed by their position on the club's official websiteSource
Players highlighted in light grey denote the player has received a yellow/red card for the club before leaving for another club
Players highlighted in light cyan denote the player has received a yellow/red card for the club after arriving at Aston Villa during the season
Players highlighted in Blonde denote the player has received a yellow/red card for the club before leaving the club on loan for part/the rest of the season
One
= Two
| No. | Nat | Pos | Name | Premier League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||||
|  | | | | | | | | | | | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | | MF | Fabian Delph | 7 | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | | DF | Matthew Lowton | 10 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | | DF | Ciaran Clark | 6 | – | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 20 | | FW | Christian Benteke | 7 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 27 | | DF | Joe Bennett | 4 | 1 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 30 | | DF | Eric Lichaj | 6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | | MF | Karim El Ahmadi | 5 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 61 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | | FW | Gabriel Agbonlahor | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | | MF | Charles N'Zogbia | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | | MF | Barry Bannan | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | | DF | Nathan Baker | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | | FW | Andreas Weimann | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | | GK | Brad Guzan | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | | DF | Ron Vlaar | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | | MF | Yacouba Sylla | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | | MF | Ashley Westwood | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | | DF | Enda Stevens | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | | MF | Stephen Ireland | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | | MF | Marc Albrighton | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | | MF | Chris Herd | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | | FW | Darren Bent | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 14 | | FW | Brett Holman | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | | FW | Jordan Bowery | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| TOTALS | 72[214] | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 87 | 2 | 1 | |||
1El Ahmadi received his fifth yellow card of the season againstSwindon Town on 30 October 2012. This was not documented on theBBC match report, though the suspension was served.
Correct as of 11 May 2013
Win Draw Loss
| Comp | Week/Round | Date | Score | Opponent | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | Wk 2 | 25 August 2012 | 1–3 | Everton | 36,565 |
| League Cup | Rd 2 | 28 August 2012 | 3–0 | Tranmere Rovers | 15,319 |
| Premier League | Wk 4 | 15 September 2012 | 2–0 | Swansea City | 34,005 |
| Premier League | Wk 6 | 30 September 2012 | 1–1 | West Bromwich Albion | 34,489 |
| Premier League | Wk 9 | 27 October 2012 | 1–1 | Norwich City | 33,184 |
| Premier League | Wk 11 | 10 November 2012 | 2–3 | Manchester United | 40,538 |
| Premier League | Wk 13 | 24 November 2012 | 0–0 | Arsenal | 34,607 |
| Premier League | Wk 14 | 27 November 2012 | 1–0 | Reading | 28,692 |
| Premier League | Wk 16 | 8 December 2012 | 0–0 | Stoke City | 30,110 |
| Premier League | Wk 19 | 26 December 2012 | 0–4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 36,863 |
| Premier League | Wk 20 | 29 December 2012 | 0–3 | Wigan Athletic | 33,374 |
| FA Cup | Rd 3 | 5 January 2013 | 2–1 | Ipswich Town | 24,854 |
| Premier League | Wk 22 | 12 January 2013 | 0–1 | Southampton | 32,500 |
| League Cup | SF (2) | 22 January 2013 | 2–1 | Bradford City | 40,193 |
| Premier League | Wk 24 | 29 January 2013 | 1–2 | Newcastle United | 30,334 |
| Premier League | Wk 26 | 10 February 2013 | 2–1 | West Ham United | 30,503 |
| Premier League | Wk 28 | 2 March 2013 | 0–1 | Manchester City | 33,217 |
| Premier League | Wk 30 | 10 March 2013 | 3–2 | Queens Park Rangers | 38,594 |
| Premier League | Wk 31 | 31 March 2013 | 1–2 | Liverpool | 42,037 |
| Premier League | Wk 33 | 13 April 2013 | 1–1 | Fulham | 37,011 |
| Premier League | Wk 35 | 29 April 2013 | 6–1 | Sunderland | 37,428 |
| Premier League | Wk 37 | 11 May 2013 | 1–2 | Chelsea | 42,084 |
| Total Attendance | 746,501 | ||||
| Average League Attendance | 35,509[215] | ||||
| Average Attendance | 33,932 |
| Competition | Started round | Final position / round | First match | Last match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | — | 15th | 18 August 2012 | 19 May 2013 |
| League Cup | 2nd round | Semi-finals | 28 August 2012 | 22 January 2013 |
| FA Cup | 3rd round | 4th Round | 5 January 2013 | 25 January 2013 |
Updated to match played 19 May 2013
Source:Competitions
Win Draw Loss Postponed
| 14 July 2012[216] | Burton Albion | 1–2 | Aston Villa | Burton upon Trent |
| 15:00UTC±0 | Weir 9' | Report | Holness 42' (o.g.) Holman 83' | Stadium:Pirelli Stadium Attendance: 4,165 Referee:Kevin Friend |
| 1 August 2012[217] | Peterborough United | 0–2 | Aston Villa | Peterborough |
| 19:45UTC±0 | Report | Johnson 39' Holman 81' | Stadium:London Road Stadium Attendance: 2,071 Referee: Andy Woolmer |
| 4 August 2012[218] | Nottingham Forest | 3–1 | Aston Villa | Nottingham |
| 15:00UTC±0 | McGugan 71',85' Tudgay 77' | Report | Bannan 73' | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 12,442 Referee:Stuart Attwell |
v Aston Villa| 11 August 2012[219] | Werder Bremen | 3–3 | Aston Villa | Bremen |
| 18:00UTC+1 | Füllkrug 11' Elia 52'Hunt 71' | Report | Bent 16',68' Clark 22' | Stadium:Weserstadion Attendance: 22,800 |
US tourOn 27 March 2012, the club announced plans for a pre-season tour of the US as part of the preparations for the 2012–13 season. The tour saw the club taking onMajor League Soccer clubs from the three US cities ofPortland, Chicago andPhiladelphia between 18 and 24 July 2012.[20]
Villa won all three matches, after 1–0 victories over bothPhiladelphia Union andChicago Fire and a penalty shootout victory after an initial 2–2 draw withPortland Timbers.[36][37][38]
v Aston Villa| 18 July 2012 | Philadelphia Union | 0–1 | Aston Villa | Chester, PA |
| UTC−04:00 | Report | Delfouneso 43' | Stadium:PPL Park Attendance: 17,195 |
v Aston Villa| 21 July 2012 | Chicago Fire | 0–1 | Aston Villa | Bridgeview, IL |
| UTC−05:00 | Report | Agbonlahor 39' | Stadium:Toyota Park Attendance: 16,388 Referee: Daniel Fitzgerald (United States) |
v Aston Villa| 24 July 2012 | Portland Timbers | 2–2 (4–5p) | Aston Villa | Portland, OR |
| UTC−07:00 | Rincón 76' Wallace 81' | Report | Clark 42' Lowton 80' | Stadium:Jeld-Wen Field Attendance: 20,438 Referee: Juan Guzmán (United States) |
| Penalties | ||||
Rincón Jean-Baptiste Songo'o Renken Dike  | BannanLichajGardnerN'ZogbiaCarruthers | |||
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Stoke City | 38 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 34 | 45 | −11 | 42 |
| 14 | Southampton | 38 | 9 | 14 | 15 | 49 | 60 | −11 | 41 |
| 15 | Aston Villa | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 47 | 69 | −22 | 41 |
| 16 | Newcastle United | 38 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 45 | 68 | −23 | 41 |
| 17 | Sunderland | 38 | 9 | 12 | 17 | 41 | 54 | −13 | 39 |
| Games played | 46 (38Premier League, 2FA Cup, 6League Cup) |
| Games won | 16 (10Premier League, 1FA Cup, 5League Cup) |
| Games drawn | 11 (11Premier League) |
| Games lost | 19 (17Premier League, 1League Cup, 1FA Cup) |
| Goals scored | 67 (47Premier League, 3FA Cup, 17League Cup) |
| Goals conceded | 81 (69Premier League, 3FA Cup, 9League Cup) |
| Total goal difference | −14 (−22Premier League, 0FA Cup, +8League Cup) |
| Clean sheets | 6 (5Premier League, 1League Cup) |
| Yellow Cards | 87 (72Premier League, 2FA Cup, 13League Cup) |
| Red Cards | 3 (3Premier League) |
| Most appearances | Matthew Lowton (44) |
| Top scorer | Christian Benteke (23) |
| Worst Discipline | Fabian Delph (11) |
| Best Result | 6–1 vsSunderland (H),Premier League (29 April 2013) |
| Worst Result | 8–0 vsChelsea (A),Premier League (23 December 2012) |
| Points | 41 |
| Overall | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 47 | 69 | −22 | 41 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 23 | 28 | −5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 24 | 41 | −17 |
Last updated: 19 May 2013.
Source:Competitive matches
Win Draw Loss Postponed
| 18 August 20121 | West Ham United | 1–0 | Aston Villa | London |
| 15:00BST | Nolan 40' | AVFC BBC | Clark 39' | Stadium:Boleyn Ground Attendance: 34,172 Referee:Mike Dean |
| 25 August 20122 | Aston Villa | 1–3 | Everton | Birmingham |
| 15:00BST | Clark 57' El Ahmadi 74', 82' | AVFC BBC | Pienaar 3' Fellaini 31'Jelavić 43' | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 36,565 Referee:Michael Oliver |
| 2 September 20123 | Newcastle United | 1–1 | Aston Villa | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| 16:00BST | Ben Arfa 59' Gutiérrez 85' | AVFC BBC | Clark 22' El Ahmadi 27'Lichaj 90'Guzan 90+2'Holman 90+4' | Stadium:Sports Direct Arena Attendance: 48,245 Referee:Lee Probert |
| 15 September 20124 | Aston Villa | 2–0 | Swansea City | Birmingham |
| 15:00BST | Lowton 16', 37' Clark 25'Lichaj 80'Benteke 88' | AVFC BBC | Michu 40' | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 34,005 Referee:Lee Mason |
| 22 September 20125 | Southampton | 4–1 | Aston Villa | Southampton |
| 15:00BST | Lambert 58',90+5' (pen.) Clyne 63', 65'Puncheon 72' | AVFC BBC | Bent 36' Vlaar 43'Lichaj 53'Guzan 90+4' | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 30,713 Referee:Jonathan Moss |
| 30 September 20126 | Aston Villa | 1–1 | West Bromwich Albion | Birmingham |
| 16:00BST | Delph 23' Bent 80' | AVFC BBC | Long 51' Tamaș 90+4' | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 34,489 Referee:Anthony Taylor |
| 7 October 20127 | Tottenham Hotspur | 2–0 | Aston Villa | London |
| 15:00BST | Caulker 58' Lennon 67'Walker 73' | AVFC BBC | Delph 27' Bennett 47'El Ahmadi 57' | Stadium:White Hart Lane Attendance: 35,802 Referee:Neil Swarbrick |
| 20 October 20128 | Fulham | 1–0 | Aston Villa | London |
| 15:00BST | Riise 70' Baird 84' | AVFC BBC | El Ahmadi 50' Lichaj 77' | Stadium:Craven Cottage Attendance: 25,693 Referee:Chris Foy |
| 27 October 20129 | Aston Villa | 1–1 | Norwich City | Birmingham |
| 12:45BST | Benteke 27' Bennett 29' 52'Herd 63' | AVFC BBC | Turner 79' | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 33,184 Referee:Phil Dowd |
| 3 November 201210 | Sunderland | 0–1 | Aston Villa | Sunderland |
| 15:00GMT | Bardsley 33' Fletcher 90' | AVFC BBC | Lichaj 45+3' Agbonlahor 57'Clark 69'Benteke 81' | Stadium:Stadium of Light Attendance: 41,515 Referee:Mike Jones |
| 10 November 201211 | Aston Villa | 2–3 | Manchester United | Birmingham |
| 17:30GMT | Weimann 45+1',50' Ireland 56' | AVFC BBC | Hernández 58',87' Vlaar 63' (o.g.)Carrick 65' | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 40,538 Referee:Kevin Friend |
| 17 November 201212 | Manchester City | 5–0 | Aston Villa | Manchester |
| 15:00GMT | Silva 43' Agüero 54' (pen.), 67'Tevez 65' (pen.), 74' | AVFC BBC | Bannan 56' | Stadium:Etihad Stadium Attendance: 47,072 (989 away) Referee:Jon Moss |
| 24 November 201213 | Aston Villa | 0–0 | Arsenal | Birmingham |
| 17:30GMT | El Ahmadi 22' | AVFC BBC | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 34,607 Referee:Lee Mason |
| 27 November 201214 | Aston Villa | 1–0 | Reading | Birmingham |
| 20:00GMT | Clark 64' Benteke 80' | AVFC BBC | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 28,692 |
| 1 December 201215 | Queens Park Rangers | 1–1 | Aston Villa | London |
| 15:00GMT | Mackie 18' Derry 61' | AVFC BBC | Holman 8' Baker 48'Lowton 63' | Stadium:Loftus Road Attendance: 17,387 Referee:Howard Webb |
| 8 December 201216 | Aston Villa | 0–0 | Stoke City | Birmingham |
| 15:00GMT | AVFC BBC | Shotton 75' 90+2' | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 30,110 Referee: Roger East |
| 15 December 201217 | Liverpool | 1–3 | Aston Villa | Liverpool |
| 15:00GMT | Gerrard 87' Suárez 89' | AVFC BBC | Benteke 29',51', 88' Weimann 40'Lowton 65' | Stadium:Anfield Attendance: 44,607 Referee:Neil Swarbrick |
| 23 December 201218 | Chelsea | 8–0 | Aston Villa | London |
| 16:00GMT | Torres 3' David Luiz 29'Ivanović 34'Lampard 59'Ramires 76',90+1'Oscar 79' (pen.)Hazard 83' | AVFC BBC | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 41,363 Referee:Phil Dowd |
| 26 December 201219 | Aston Villa | 0–4 | Tottenham Hotspur | Birmingham |
| 15:00GMT | Delph 69' | AVFC BBC | Defoe 57' Bale 61',73',84' | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 36,863 Referee:Mark Clattenburg |
| 29 December 201220 | Aston Villa | 0–3 | Wigan Athletic | Birmingham |
| 15:00GMT | Bannan 55' Lowton 80'Weimann 90' | AVFC BBC | Ramis 3' Boyce 36', 52'Maloney 43'Koné 56' | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 33,374 Referee:Kevin Friend |
| 1 January 201321 | Swansea City | 2–2 | Aston Villa | Swansea |
| 15:00GMT | Routledge 9' Graham 90+4' | AVFC BBC | Clark 40' Weimann 41', 44'Delph 41'Stevens 45+1'Benteke 84' (pen.) | Stadium:Liberty Stadium Attendance: 20,406 Referee:Mark Halsey |
| 12 January 201322 | Aston Villa | 0–1 | Southampton | Birmingham |
| 15:00GMT | Weimann 90+4' | AVFC BBC | Lambert 34' (pen.) Boruc 90+2' | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 32,500 Referee:Mark Halsey |
| 19 January 201323 | West Bromwich Albion | 2–2 | Aston Villa | West Bromwich |
| 17:30GMT | Olsson 21' Lukaku 43'Brunt 49'Dorrans 62'Odemwingie 83' | AVFC BBC | Benteke 12' Agbonlahor 21', 31'Lichaj 58'Lowton 61' | Stadium:The Hawthorns Attendance: 25,583 Referee:Lee Probert |
| 29 January 201324 | Aston Villa | 1–2 | Newcastle United | Birmingham |
| 19:45GMT | N'Zogbia 42' Benteke 49' (pen.), 61'Baker 67'Lowton 76'Agbonlahor 78' | AVFC BBC | Cissé 19' Cabaye 31'Gutiérrez 52'Ameobi 87' | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 30,334 Referee:Mike Dean |
| 2 February 201325 | Everton | 3–3 | Aston Villa | Liverpool |
| 15:00GMT | Anichebe 21' Fellaini 68',90+3'Osman 89' | AVFC BBC | Benteke 2',61', 45+1' Agbonlahor 24', 88'Lowton 63'Sylla 90+6' | Stadium:Goodison Park Attendance: 38,121 Referee:Mike Jones |
| 10 February 201326 | Aston Villa | 2–1 | West Ham United | Birmingham |
| 13:30GMT | Baker 72' Benteke 74' (pen.)N'Zogbia 78'Bent 87'Clark 90+2' | AVFC BBC | Pogatetz 45' Reid 78'Westwood 87' (o.g.) | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 30,503 Referee:Mark Clattenburg |
| 23 February 201327 | Arsenal | 2–1 | Aston Villa | London |
| 15:00GMT | Cazorla 6',85' Diaby 37' | AVFC BBC | Lowton 36' Delph 66'Weimann 68' | Stadium:Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,079 Referee:Martin Atkinson |
| 4 March 201328 | Aston Villa | 0–1 | Manchester City | Birmingham |
| 20:00GMT | Benteke 75' Delph 90+3' | AVFC BBC | Tevez 45+1' | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 33,217 Referee:Mike Dean |
| 9 March 201329 | Reading | 1–2 | Aston Villa | Reading |
| 15:00GMT | Baker 32' (o.g.) Hunt 54'McAnuff 87' | AVFC BBC | Lowton 10' Benteke 33', 67'Agbonlahor 45'Westwood 85' | Stadium:Madejski Stadium Attendance: 24,102 Referee:Jonathan Moss |
| 16 March 201330 | Aston Villa | 3–2 | Queens Park Rangers | Birmingham |
| 15:00GMT | Sylla 31' Bannan 42'Weimann 45+1', 59'Agbonlahor 45+3'Benteke 81' | AVFC BBC | Mbia 13' Jenas 23'Townsend 73'Hoilett 88' | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 38,594 Referee:Kevin Friend |
| 31 March 201331 | Aston Villa | 1–2 | Liverpool | Birmingham |
| 13:30GMT | Benteke 31' Westwood 90+1' | AVFC BBC | Henderson 47' Gerrard 48', 60' (pen.) | Stadium:Villa Park |
| 6 April 201332 | Stoke City | 1–3 | Aston Villa | Stoke-on-Trent |
| 15:00BST | Shotton 64' Shawcross 66'Kightly 80'Adam 90+2' | AVFC BBC | Agbonlahor 9', 35' Lowton 87'Benteke 90+1' | Stadium:Britannia Stadium Attendance: 27,544 Referee:Mark Clattenburg |
| 13 April 201333 | Aston Villa | 1–1 | Fulham | Birmingham |
| 15:00BST | N'Zogbia 55' Sylla 69' | AVFC BBC | Enoh 58' Delph 66' (o.g.)Richardson 87' | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 37,011 Referee:Phil Dowd |
| 22 April 201334 | Manchester United | 3–0 | Aston Villa | Manchester |
| 20:00BST | Van Persie 2',13',33' Evra 28' | AVFC BBC | Stadium:Old Trafford Attendance: 75,591 Referee:Anthony Taylor |
| 29 April 201335 | Aston Villa | 6–1 | Sunderland | Birmingham |
| 20:00BST | Vlaar 31' Weimann 37'Benteke 55',59',72'Agbonlahor 88' | AVFC BBC | Rose 32', 66' Cuéllar 34'Sessègnon 70'Bardsley 76' | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 37,428 Referee:Lee Probert |
| 4 May 201336 | Norwich City | 1–2 | Aston Villa | Norwich |
| 15:00BST | Johnson 59' Holt 74' (pen.)R. Bennett 90+5' | AVFC BBC | J. Bennett 18' Delph 54'Agbonlahor 55',89'Benteke 68' | Stadium:Carrow Road Attendance: 26,842 Referee:Kevin Friend |
| 11 May 201337 | Aston Villa | 1–2 | Chelsea | Birmingham |
| 12:45GMT | Baker 4' Benteke 14', 36' 58' | AVFC BBC | Lampard 61',88', 85' Ramires 16' 44'Terry 42' | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 42,084 Referee:Lee Mason |
| 19 May 201338 | Wigan Athletic | 2–2 | Aston Villa | Wigan |
| 15:00BST | Boyce 21', 83' Baker 45' (o.g.)McCarthy 70' | AVFC BBC | Bent 5' Lowton 41'Vlaar 61' | Stadium:DW Stadium Referee:Neil Swarbrick |
| Round | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Ground | H | A |
| Result | 2–1 | 1–2 |
| 5 January 2013Third round | Aston Villa | 2–1 | Ipswich Town | Birmingham |
| 15:00UTC±0 | Bent 46' Weimann 83' | [114][115][116] AVFC BBC | Kisnorbo 12' Chopra 31'Hyam 81' | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 24,854 Referee:Jonathan Moss |
| 25 January 2013Fourth round | Millwall | 2–1 | Aston Villa | London |
| 19:45UTC±0 | Shittu 27' Beevers 81'Marquis 89' | [136][137][138] AVFC BBC | Bent 22' Bennett 53'Bowery 82' | Stadium:The Den Attendance: 15,007 Referee:Neil Swarbrick |
| Round | 2 | 3 | 4 | QF | SF (1) | SF (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground | H | A | A | A | A | H |
| Result | 3–0 | 4–2 (aet) | 3–2 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 |
| 28 August 2012Second round | Aston Villa | 3–0 | Tranmere Rovers | Birmingham |
| 19:45UTC±0 | Delph 38', 78' Herd 66'Bent 81'Bannan 84' | [46][47][48] AVFC BBC | Taylor 28' Holmes 84' | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 15,319 Referee: James Adcock |
| 25 September 2012Third round | Manchester City | 2–4 (a.e.t.) | Aston Villa | Manchester |
| 19:45UTC±0 | Balotelli 27' Tevez 45+1'Kolarov 64', 114'Razak 90+5'K. Touré 108' | [62][63][64] AVFC BBC | Delph 45+1' Barry 59' (o.g.)Vlaar 63'Agbonlahor 70',113'Albrighton 88'N'Zogbia 97', 102' | Stadium:Etihad Stadium Attendance: 28,015 Referee:Phil Dowd |
| 30 October 2012Fourth round | Swindon Town | 2–3 | Aston Villa | Swindon |
| 19:45UTC±0 | Flint 14' Storey 78',81' | [81][82][83] AVFC BBC | Benteke 30',90' Agbonlahor 39', 78'El Ahmadi 86' | Stadium:County Ground Attendance: 14,434 Referee:Stuart Attwell |
| 11 December 2012Quarter-finals | Norwich City | 1–4 | Aston Villa | Norwich |
| 19:45UTC±0 | Morison 19' | [97][98][99] AVFC BBC | Holman 21' Weimann 79',85'Benteke 90+1' | Stadium:Carrow Road Attendance: 26,142 Referee:Michael Oliver |
| 8 January 2013Semi-finals First Leg | Bradford City | 3–1 | Aston Villa | Bradford |
| 19:45UTC±0 | Wells 19' McArdle 77'McHugh 88', 89' | [123][124][125] AVFC BBC | N'Zogbia 61' Delph 78'Weimann 82' | Stadium:Valley Parade Attendance: 22,245 Referee:Howard Webb |
| 22 January 2013Semi-finals Second Leg | Aston Villa | 2–1 (3–4agg.) | Bradford City | Birmingham |
| 19:45UTC±0 | Clark 22' Benteke 23'N'Zogbia 83'Weimann 89'Delph 90+2' | [123][124][125] AVFC BBC | Hanson 55' | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 40,193 Referee:Phil Dowd |
