Barclays Premier League

BRILLIANT BALE BLOWS VILLA AWAY

Gareth Bale demolished sorry Aston Villa with a second half hat-trick as Tottenham Hotspur romped to a 4-0 victory at Villa Park. Spurs dominated the first half with ease as the hosts struggled, and would have been several goals up by half time were it not for the form of Brad Guzan. The American denied Bale time and again to make it to the break with a clean sheet, only to be undone soon afterwards. The Villains actually started the second period the better side but couldn't capitalise and were punished when Jermain Defoe sprinted through to score in the 57th minute. The floodgates were opened and Bale soon came into his own, first taking it around Guzan to score and then providing excellent finishes when set up by first Aaron Lennon and then Gylfi Sigurdsson. Villa could only conjure up a pair of crosses from Stephen Ireland that Brett Holman and Chrisitan Benteke failed to convert. Paul Lambert has a lot of work to do and quick as the festive fixtures pile up, while Tottenham go from strength to strength.

FULL TIME ASTON VILLA 0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 4

Villa's pain continues as the whistle blows for full time. That's twelve goals in two games they've conceded without reply.

LAST CHANCE

The hosts' last chance to get on the scoresheet comes to nothing as Holman fails to reach Ireland's low cross.

INTO ROW Z

Sigurdsson has Defoe in space but opts to go for goal himself, the Icelander's shot rising high into the crowd, much to his teammate's dismay.

STRAIGHT AT THE KEEPER

Albrighton gets a sight of goal in a rare Villa attack, the substitute sending a 20-yard drive straight into the arms of Lloris.

SUBSTITUTION

Having filled his boots, Bale makes way for Andros Townsend.

GOAL!!! TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Gylfi Sigurdsson ghosts into the area and pulls it back for GARETH BALE, who takes two touches to control the ball inside the box and completes his hat-trick with a fine left-footed strike into the bottom corner. What a player.

CONFIDENT KEEPING

Benteke tries his luck with a header so tame that Hugo Lloris feels comfortable saving it with his chest. It's been that kind of day for Aston Villa.

SUBSTITUTION

Adebayor gets a breather as Andre Villas-Boas sends on Gylfi Sigurdsson.

REPEAT PERFORMANCE

Villa are looking worryingly like they did towards the end of the Chelsea game, with the visitors carving them apart seemingly at will.

DEFOE OFF TARGET

Lennon and Walker combine down the right to grant the full back space to get a cross in. The ball drops at the feet of Jermain Defoe, whose instant strike is wide of the target.

GOAL!!! TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

GARETH BALE grabs his second goal of the game, sidefooting a shot into the corner of the net from 18 yards out. Aaron Lennon found his teammate with an excellent slotted pass into his stride as Bale's marker was left eating dust and the Welshman squirted into the box to make it 3-0.

WING WIZARDRY

Marc Albrighton jinks his way up the right wing, leaving Kyle Naughton for dead and coming agonisingly close to finding Ireland with a bending cross to the back stick.

YELLOW CARD

Fabian Delph picks up the first booking of the game for a late arial challenge on the speedier Bale. That's the midfielder's fifth of the season, meaning he will be suspended for Aston Villa's next game.

SUBSTITUTION

Scott Parker replaces Dembele, who is limping slightly as he leaves the pitch but doesn't look in too much trouble.

POOR FREE KICK

Bale gets the chance to go for goal with a free kick from the left. The Welshman runs up and... fires his effort disappointingly into the wall. Perhaps he is human after all.

GOAL!!! TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

The avalanche is underway as Spurs charge up the pitch following the breakdown of a Villa attack. Defoe is tackled and the ball breaks to GARETH BALE, who draws Brad Guzan from his line before dancing around the stranded goalie and flicking the ball into the net. What a sumptuous strike.

BENTEKE LEAPING LOW

Benteke rises high underneath Ireland's looped cross, but it's not high enough and the chance goes begging.

GOAL!!! TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

The goal finally comes as JERMAIN DEFOE sprints onto a terrific through ball from Sandro and takes a masterful first touch before poking the ball right-footed between Guzan's legs and into the back of the net.

BENTEKE OFFSIDE

Christian Benteke is caught offside twice in the space of a few minutes. On the second occasion Stephen Ireland bamboozles Vertonghen with a flick over the Belgian's head and plays it in for the hefty striker, who went just a little too quickly.

SLOWING THE TEMPO

Spurs were looking shaky in the face of that sudden burst of Villa energy, but they're now regaining some composure. Dembele and Sandro are stroking the ball around in the middle of the park in an effort to slow the game down for a moment.

TENACIOUS TACKLE

A poor touch from Ciaran Clark allows Defoe to nick the ball away in a dangerous area, but the England striker is stopped in his tracks by a marvellous tackle from Chris Herd. This renewed effort is really lifting the crowd.

VIGOROUS VILLA

It's early days yet but Villa have burst out of the blocks. Lowton gets hold of the ball just outside the area following good work from Marc Albrighton and fizzes a drive just wide of the left-hand post.

SECOND HALF

The teams are back out and the second half is underway. Aston Villa have made their second change of the match, bringing Marc Albrighton on for the anonymous Westwood.

SPURS DOMINANT

We may be at Villa Park, but if you didn't know any better you'd never pick Aston Villa as the home side. Paul Lambert's men are clearly still suffering from a dearth of confidence after their recent destruction at the hands of Chelsea; they've been nervous and reluctant, allowing Spurs to dominate with ease. Consequently the Villa goal has been peppered with shots from Gareth Bale and Emmanuel Adebayor among others, but so far the superlative Brad Guzan has stood firm. One save from the American to deny Bale's 41st-minute thunderbolt took the breath away. The hosts' one decent chance came on the break as Brett Holman came close to reaching Ashley Westwood's cross at the back post. It's a miracle Tottenham haven't taken the lead – Villa need to get their act together and fast or it could be another tonking.

HALF TIME ASTON VILLA 0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0

Mark Clattenburg blows for half time with the score tied at 0-0.

FIRST AT THE FLAG FOR VILLA

The Villains have a corner in the last moment of the first half as Bennett drives a cross against Moussa Demebele. That's their first flag-kick to Spurs' 15. Delph floats it to the back post, where Hugo Lloris catches with ease.

SUBSTITUTION

Villa will be making the change after all; Stephen Ireland comes on for the stricken Baker, with Joe Bennett dropping back into defence.

BAKER IN TROUBLE

Nathan Baker has taken a hefty knock and may not be able to continue. The defender is off the pitch and limping down the touchline, but Paul Lambert may feel it's too close to half time to make a change.

BALE BOMBARDS GUZAN

How many times can Brad Guzan foil Gareth Bale? This one is a thunderbolt of a 25-yard strike that forces the American to hurriedly push it over the bar and onto the roof of the net.

HEAD BOYS

Gareth Bale is the latest Spurs man to go for goal with a header, the winger's effort bouncing off Clark's head to loop comfortably through to Guzan.

JUST OVER

Jan Vertonghen gets up to head a lofted cross from Lennon narrowly over the crossbar.

CHANCE FOR VILLA

Villa squander the best chance of the game so far as they break at speed, Benteke playing in the charging Ashley Westwood, who finds Brett Holman at the back post with a swirling cross. The Australian inexplicably puts his header over the bar.

PERFECT COMBO

The combination of Bale and Adebayor is really testing the home defence. This time the winger pulls it back for his colleague to go for goal, the shot deflecting off Karim El Ahmadi for yet another Tottenham corner.

BUTTERFINGERS BRAD

An Emmanuel Adebayor header from a Bale corner so nearly slips through Brad Guzan's gloves, but the in-form 'keeper reacts quickly to bundle the ball off the goalline.

VILLA THREATEN

Villa come up with their first attack of note as Bennett travels up the left and plays in a dangerous low cross. Christian Benteke is unable to reach it, and Matthew Lowton goes even closer at the back post but can't quite stretch to make the connection.

WOUNDED WALKER

There are some glass ankles on show today; this time it's Kyle Walker who has to leave the pitch for a few moments following an innocuous trip by Joe Bennett.

DEMBELE GETS THE BOOT

Mark Clattenburg stops his watch as Moussa Dembele's boot goes flying off in a heated tackle and the Belgian hops around trying to retrieve it.

GALLAS GOES CLOSE

Tottenham break away again and this time it's Aaron Lennon who turns his full back inside out before drawing a corner with a low shot on goal. Walker's corner finds the head of William Gallas, the centre back seeing his effort well held by Guzan.

PETROV HONOURED

The Villa fans show a touch of class as they give a minute-long spell of applause for stricken captain Stilian Petrov, who wears the number 19 shirt.

WRONG DECISION

Gareth Bale sprints up the field on the break after Sandro outmuscles Delph. The Welshman has Kyle Naughton overlapping to his left but instead tries to go it alone, and ends up sending a tame low ball into Brad Guzan's gloves.

INJURED PARTY

Fabian Delph crumples to the turf following a collision with a teammate and is forced from the field to receive treatment

VILLA STRUGGLING

The hosts' half-decent start has drained away with alarming speed, and they now look unable to do anything with the ball. Spurs are first to everything and look by far the better team.

BRILLIANT SAVE

Dembele checks in from the left and feeds Gareth Bale, who draws a top-notch save from Guzan with a terrific looped effort that almost drops over the American.

DEFLECTED WIDE

Spurs start to press as Bale sprints up the right flank and crosses in towards Adebayor. Clark gets in there first to head the ball out as far as Kyle Walker, whose hammer of an effort deflects out for a corner kick.

BALE BENDS IT

Jermain Defoe wins his side a free kick just outside the box with some quick thinking, and Gareth Bale bends it over the wall, where Brad Guzan tips the ball around the post.

BLOCKED OFF

Moussa Dembele approaches the penalty area and turns back to lay the ball into the path of the advancing Emmanuel Adebayor. The striker pulls the trigger, only to see his goalbound effort blocked by Ciaran Clark.

CONFIDENCE IN ABUNDANCE

Both sides have looked confident in the opening few minutes; Villa are showing no signs of being jaded, which has to be a big plus at this point. No chances created so far.

KICK OFF

Referee Mark Clattenburg blows the whistle and we're underway here at Villa Park. Let's see if one of these proud Premier League sides can give their fans the perfect Christmas gift.

LINE-UPS ANNOUNCED

With injuries in abundance, Paul Lambert has not been able to make wholesale changes to his side following Sunday's thumping, but Eric Lichaj and Barry Bannan have been dropped in favour of Fabian Delph and Karim El Ahmadi. Andre Villas-Boas has left out Steven Caulker, with Kyle Naughton coming in at left back and Jan Vertonghen moving into the centre.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR TEAM NEWS

Benoit Assou-Ekotto may be passed fit to play after recovering from a knee injury, but Clint Dempsey is suffering with a groin complaint and could sit this one out. Scott Parker is fit again and available to start.

ASTON VILLA TEAM NEWS

Darren Bent has been ruled out by a hamstring injury, but Villa are sweating on the availability of several other players, with Gabriel Agbonlahor, Charles N'Zogbia and Ron Vlaar facing late fitness tests on thigh, knee and calf problems respectively.

ONE TO WATCH

Christian Benteke has been a revelation this season for Villa, scoring goals and bullying defences with a combination of speed, brawn and skill. The Belgian will represent a formidable challenge for the Spurs defence, who haven't been able to settle due to injuries and Andre Villas-Boas' rotation policy.

SNEIJDER TO SIGN?

Reports in Italy have suggested that Inter Milan's Wesley Sneijder has agreed terms over a move to Tottenham. The Dutchman, once considered one of the world's finest players, has been out of the Inter team for a while and could make the switch to London for around £12 million.

KIND WORDS

A returning hero had kind words to say as he spoke in glowing terms about Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan. Brad Friedel, who is likely to be on the bench for Spurs today, blocked his fellow American's way to the first team when keeping goal for Villa with distinction for many years, and has backed his compatriot to do the same following his recent breakthrough.

REF WATCH

Mark Clattenburg is the man to preside over this evening's clash. Clattenburg has been no stranger to controversy of late and in addition has handed out a stonking four red cards and 34 bookings in nine Premier League matches this season. Maybe today will bring a bit more Christmas spirit.

ASTON VILLA V TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Aston Villa aim to return to winning ways as the Villains play host to in-form Tottenham Hotspur in this afternoon's festive fixture at Villa Park. Paul Lambert's men had been in great form until they followed an impressive dismissal of Liverpool with an 8-0 hammering at the hands of Chelsea at the weekend. Villa's young side are bound to hit inconsistent patches, and it'll be how quickly they get back on the horse that counts. Spurs have lost just once in their last six Barclays Premier League outings but couldn't find a way through against Stoke on Saturday. As one of four teams on 30 points, they have a great chance to seize the initiative in the race for Champions League qualification.