Barclays Premier League

FULL-TIME

Wigan haul their way out of the bottom three and above Villa on goal difference as they end their run of six matches without a win with a comprehensive 3-0 victory at Villa Park. Ivan Ramis powered home a header after three minutes to open the scoring and they added further goals in the second half through Emmerson Boyce after 52 minutes and Arouna Kone four minutes later. Roberto Martinez's men will be buoyed by this victory with Manchester United to come on New Year's Day. Villa have now conceded 15 goals in three games and looked like a team that were naive and inexperienced against the Latics today. They are facing a defining month-long period with their next three league games against Swansea, Southampton and West Brom coming amid a two-legged Capital One Cup semi-final versus Bradford and an FA Cup tie at home to Ipswich.

RECOVERING TACKLE

We're into three added minutes of stoppage time as Ivan Ramis, who started the rout makes an important tackle. Some ironic cheers seconds later as Joe Bennett has a dig at goal.

HIGH LINE

Villa hold a high defensive line which catches Arouna Kone in an offside position. Moments later substitute Jordi Gomez is nearly put clean through as the Ivorian looks to turn provider.

LUCKY BOY

Matthew Lowton is lucky he is not shown a straight red card by referee Kevin Friend after a sliding challenge through Maynor Figueroa, who rolls around the turf waving his arms in the air.

A NIGHTMARE

Jordi Gomez comes on in place of the impressive Jean Beausejour. Villa have had a nightmare playing at home to Wigan, with their win last October their only one in eight league contests against the Latics at Villa Park, should they lose this as well.

LOYAL SUPPORT

Villa have won just three times on home soil this calendar year, but the supporters have turned out in their droves once again today - over 33,000 inside the stadium for this clash and most of them have stayed despite Villa being three goals down.

ROUTE ONE

Wigan should have had goal number four! Ali Al Habsi's long goal kick is taken down by Arouna Kone, who runs clear of two Villa defenders and although he takes the ball past Brad Guzan, he just runs out of room in the end.

MORE FIGHT

Marc Albrighton corner is headed towards goal by Christian Benteke, but Wigan have enough defenders back to make the clearance. The pressure is mounting and the crowd are with the players. Maybe they sense that one goal could change this match.

TALL WALL

Franco Di Santo is felled by Chris Herd on the edge of the area but Shaun Maloney is disappointed as his right-foot curler is blocked by the Villa wall.

BETTER FROM VILLA

The hosts are now playing with a back four as Matthew Lowton finds Andreas Weimann, but his cross fails to find Christian Benteke, who waves his arms around in disgust.

WIGAN CHANGE

David Jones is replaced by James McArthur for Wigan, who will be buoyed by this display when they take on Manchester United on New Year's Day.

TRIPLE CHANCE

Paul Lambert is desperately trying to get his side back into this game as Marc Albrighton, Jordan Bowery and Karim El Ahmadi all come on for Stephen Ireland, Brett Holman and Eric Lichaj. Boos ring around Villa Park when Ireland's name is called.

SURELY OVER NOW

Superb third goal for the visitors and it's suddenly become all too easy. Shaun Maloney picks out Arouna Kone, who stays calm to take the ball around Brad Guzan and slot the ball into the empty net from a tight angle. Wigan are heading for only their second win in their last eight games against Villa.

GOOOAAALLL!!!

AROUNA KONE

BRILLIANT BOYCE

Wonderful second goal for Wigan, who look like they're going to be climbing above their opponents and out of the bottom three by the end of this game. And what a well-worked goal it was too. Arouna Kone's delicious pass is slotted into the far corner by defender Emmerson Boyce. That's 14 goals in three matches Villa have conceded now.

GOOOAAALLL!!!

EMMERSON BOYCE

ANYWHERE WILL DO

Wigan's away form has been poor, losing four straight and seven of their last eight away from The DW Stadium. However, they're holding onto this one-goal lead at Villa Park as Emmerson Boyce hammers the ball up the park as they come under some early second half pressure.

HEADED OVER

A good chance for Christian Benteke at the back post, who stretches all his neck muscles, but can only direct the ball over the crossbar after good work down the right by Eric Lichaj.

AWAY WE GO

Things are going Wigan's way in the final game of 2012 for these teams. The Villa players came out early and are hoping to avoid a third straight defeat. Just to clear up that Brett Holman chance at the end of the half, the Australian hit the crossbar. There have been no changes at the break and the hosts will be attacking the Holte End.

HALF-TIME

Wigan lead 1-0 at Villa Park thanks to a towering header by the unmarked Ivan Ramis from Jean Beausejour's outswinging corner. Franco Di Santo and Arouna Kone came close to doubling the visitors' advantage while for the home side, Christian Benteke's strike was ruled out for an offside decision against Andreas Weimann. Brett Holman had an opportunity towards the end of the half, but as things stand, the Latics will haul their way out of the bottom three at Villa's expense and end their run of six matches without a win.

HOLMAN CLOSE

Brett Holman, who is showing lots of energy, comes so close to restoring parity with a chance at the back post. Moments later, Christian Benteke flicks the ball inches wide of the far post.

SHOW OF DISSENT

Emmerson Boyce tries to slow Villa down and is shown a yellow card by referee Kevin Friend. We're approaching the break and both sides are certainly trying to play the ball along the ground. Moment's later, Andreas Weimann puts Ali Al Habsi under real pressure after a poor back pass and the Latics' goalkeeper has to slam the ball out of play for a throw.

NO GOAL

Lovely possession football from the home side this time but although Christian Benteke sticks the ball in the back of the net, Andreas Weimann - who had initially touched the ball back - was standing in an offside position, so no goal I'm afraid Villa fans.

POURING RAIN

It never rains but it pours and it's 13 goals in three Premier League matches for Aston Villa, but they're desperately trying to get back on level terms through Christian Benteke who fires the ball over the crossbar from an acute angle.

GIVEN AWAY

Stephen Ireland is muscled off the ball which allows Arouna Kone to get his right-foot shot away, but the angle was against him. Meanwhile, at the other end Joe Bennett goes on a slalom run beating three men, but fails to win the free-kick after crashing to the ground.

PASS AND MOVE

Wigan keep calm and spead the ball from left to right as Villa chase them around like headless chickens. The ground has gone very dark in the last few minutes. We might get a downpour to add to the anxiety which is building.

BALLOONED OVER

A good Wigan chance now as the busy Jean Beausejour plays a neat reverse ball to Shaun Maloney just inside the area in a central position, but he takes a wild swing at the ball which sends it high and wide of Brad Guzan's far post.

LOTS OF FREEDOM

Shaun Maloney is enjoying being given space in the middle of the park against his former club as the Holte End get on their feet in continued suppport for the club captain Stiliyan Petrov.

AMBITIOUS EFFORT

Andreas Weimann is the one Villa player that is showing any intent so far this afternoon and the striker cuts across along the edge of the area before attempting a left-foot drive from 25-yards, but he slices it wide of the mark.

ANGRY LATICS

Franco Di Santo's long-range effort takes a deflection, but a goal kick is given which gets the striker riled with Kevin Friend. The visitors - in their all-black kit today - are pressing high up the park and forcing Villa into making mistakes.

ON THE ROPES

Jean Beausejour is being allowed all sorts of space and time to cut inside, before attempting a quick one-two with Franco Di Santo. Moments later Christian Benteke gives the ball away with infuriates the home supporters.

PENALTY SHOUT

The Latics are all over their opponents at the start of this game. Roberto Martinez's side know all too well what three points would mean to them today and they should have been awarded a penalty as Shaun Maloney is brought down by a late challenge by Stephen Ireland, but referee Kevin Friend waves away strong appeals.

CLOSE FOR VILLA

Villa nearly restore parity from the restart as Andreas Weimann's left-foot shot from the edge of the area is palmed away by Ali Al Habsi.

WHAT A START

Amazing start to this match for the visitors and such a simple goal too. Jean Beausejour's outswinging corner is headed into the roof of the net by the unmarked Ivan Ramis. The worst possible start for the hosts.

GOOOAAALLL!!!

IVAN RAMIS

WE'RE UNDERWAY

Here we go then on a damp December day at Villa Park. Both these teams are under real pressure to pick up all three points this afternoon. Victory for the Villans would send them six points clear of the drop zone and potentially up to 15th, while a Latics win at Villa's expense would send them above their opponents as they look to end their run of six matches without a win. The West Midlands side have conceded 12 goals in their last two games. The previous 12 came in 10 games, but you would expect this to be a tight clash.

TEAM NEWS

Aston Villa make four changes for this afternoon's clash against Wigan at Villa Park. Austrian striker Andreas Weimann returns from injury to partner Christian Benteke, while Barry Bannan, Stephen Ireland and Eric Lichaj are all recalled to the starting XI. Nathan Baker (hamstring) misses out while Fabian Delph is suspended and Ashley Westwood and Karim El Ahmadi drop to the bench. Wigan make two changes from their 2-1 defeat to Everton on Boxing Day with Ivan Ramis and Franco Di Santo coming into the line-up in place of Ronnie Stam and James McArthur.

TEAMS

ASTON VILLA: Guzan, Herd, Clark, Lichaj, Lowton, Ireland, Holman, Bannan, Bennett, Weimann, Benteke. SUBSTITUTES: Given, El Ahmadi, Albrighton, Westwood, Bowery, Stevens, Carruthers. WIGAN: Al Habsi, Ramis, Caldwell, Figueroa, Boyce, McCarthy, Jones, Beausejour, Kone, Di Santo, Maloney. SUBSTITUTES: Pollitt, Gomez, McManaman, McArthur, Boselli, Stam, Golobart. REFEREE: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).

REFEREE

Kevin Friend is the man in the middle this afternoon. He's been refereeing since he was just 13 years of age. The former Postman has taken charge of 10 games this season, showing 37 yellows and one red card. The 41-year-old is taking charge of his third Wigan game this season. The previous two were the Latics' 2-2 home draw against Everton and the 3-0 defeat at Liverpool, whilst he has refereed the Villa just once, in their 3-2 home defeat to Manchester United. His assistants for today's game are John Flynn and Darren England, while the fourth official is Howard Webb. Webb will travel up to Merseyside straight after the match because he will take charge of the Everton v Chelsea clash on Sunday afternoon.

EARLY TEAM NEWS

Villa will be without a host of players against their fellow strugglers. Defender Nathan Baker is the latest to be ruled out after he was forced off with a hamstring problem just before half-time in a 4-0 Boxing Day hammering at home to Tottenham. Baker joins captain Ron Vlaar (calf), Gabriel Agbonlahor (thigh), Charles N'Zogbia (knee), Darren Bent (hamstring), Richard Dunne (groin) and Andreas Weimann (calf) on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Wigan boss Roberto Martinez is considering making changes for the match. Apparent Liverpool target Franco di Santo is amongst those who will come into contention. The game might come too soon for defender Ivan Ramis though, who is still to make an appearance after suffering a hamstring injury at the end of last month, and is likely to be on the bench at best.

VITAL CLASH

Villa boss Paul Lambert insists there is no point dwelling on his side's nightmare start to the festive period and says the only way is forward and not back. "I think I have always said that even when you win you let it go as quick as you can. You have to get it out of your system - the two defeats - as best we can. If someone had said you'd take three points from Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham I think everyone would bite your hand off. But because you've been smacked twice everyone thinks 'oh, here we go' but I can't let two games distract from what we are trying to build here." Lambert added: "You have to respond. There's no point in going out there and feeling sorry for yourself given the amount of people who come and watch us. We have to try to rectify it and that's what we'll do. We are hurt like anyone else but you try not to beat yourself up about it." Meanwhile, Roberto Martinez has already started the process of bringing in new players to the DW Stadium - Angelo Henriquez on loan from Manchester United and Honduran midfielder Roger Espinoza - others are being linked with moves elsewhere, namely goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi and striker Franco di Santo. And he admitted: "These next five or six matches could be the most important five or six games in the club's history."

PREVIEW

Aston Villa take on Wigan at Villa Park with both sides struggling for form near the bottom of the Premier League. The West Midlands side were brought crashing back to earth following a six-game unbeaten run with two hefty defeats to Chelsea and Tottenham in the past week - conceding 12 goals in the process. The demoralising results have seen them fall to within three points of the drop zone. Villa are certainly facing a defining month-long period in their season with their next four league games against Wigan, Swansea, Southampton and West Brom coming amid a two-legged Capital One Cup semi-final versus Bradford and an FA Cup tie at home to Ipswich. Wigan are also on a bad run of form having lost five of their last six and seven of their last nine. They are currently one point adrift of safety in the drop zone although victory in Birmingham would propel the club out of danger, with games against Manchester United and Fulham to come in the coming weeks. This result of this game could well define the direction of the two clubs' seasons.