Barclays Premier League

FULL-TIME REPORT

It was always likely to be a nervy encounter at Villa Park today, with a defeat for either side likely to represent a real blow to their chances of staying in the Premier League. Queens Park Rangers had two chances through Chris Samba early on, both brilliantly saved by Brad Guzan, and Aston Villa didn't heed the warnings, as ex-Villa man Jermaine Jenas poked the visitors in front. It looked like that would be that for the first half but Gabriel Agbonlahor headed in in first half injury time to level the scores. Villa took the lead for the first time on the hour mark with a smart finish from Andreas Weimann but Andros Townsend's super strike put Harry Redknapp's side back in it again soon after. With the match on a knife-edge, Villa grabbed the important goal with ten minutes to go. Christian Benteke, superbly marshalled by Samba all day, only needed one chance, and he took it. Andreas Weimann's persistence set up the opportunity before he pulled back for the Belgian to finish. Queens Park Rangers poured forward to find an equaliser but to no avail. This latest defeat, which puts them seven points behind today's opponents, may prove to be too much to bounce back from.

FULL-TIME WHISTLE

What a chance! Clint Hill drives just over at the death. But that's it! Aston Villa secure a vital three points with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Queens Park Rangers.

MBIA WIDE

Andros Townsend has a strike from range and it takes a deflection off Ron Vlaar but goes behind for a corner. Stephane Mbia connects with the resulting corner but can't get his header on target.

EVERYONE UP

Everyone is forward for QPR but time is not on their side. Can they work just one opening before the final whistle goes?

FIVE UP FRONT

QPR are essentially playing with five forwards now, as Harry Redknapp throws Chris Samba up front too. Adel Taarabt nearly weaves his way between the Aston Villa defence but four Villa defenders block his goalbound shot. There will be five additional minutes.

HOILETT BOOKED

There's trouble here. It looks as if Villa are going to break away on the counter attack before Junior Hoilett puts in a terrible tackle on Charles N'Zogbia. The home supporters want a red card but Kevin Friend hands the Canadian winger a yellow card.

MACKIE ON

Harry Redknapp has to change something again to get back into the match and he's decided a change of personnel is the appropriate response. Jamie Mackie is on for the visitors, with Park Ji-Sung making way.

BENTEKE MISS

Christian Benteke finally squirms free of Christopher Samba in the final third for Aston Villa but, despite connecting with Ashley Westwood's free-kick, he heads wide. How important could that be come the final whistle? Will Villa live to rue that miss?

BOWERY ON

Paul Lambert is turning to his bench - Jordan Bowery is coming on for Andreas Weimann, who has had a big influence on today's match.

REMY HEADER

Nearly an immediate response from QPR! Loic Remy gets himself on the end of an Adel Taarabt cross but his header is directed just wide of Brad Guzan's right-hand post. Agonising for the visitors.

BENTEKE SCORES

A mixture of luck and persistence from Andreas Weimann sees the Austrian get the ball inside the QPR penalty area and he pulls it back to the penalty spot. Christian Benteke is there and he can shoot into an empty net. Villa back ahead!

GOOOAAALLL!!!

It's in! Christian Benteke puts Villa ahead again!

VLAAR INTERCEPTS

Aston Villa have Ron Vlaar to thank for not falling behind. Adel Taarabt almost picks out the run of Loic Remy but the big Dutch defender sticks out a foot and just manages to intercept the beautifully threaded pass.

VLAAR BLOCK

Adel Taarabt has changed this match. Another excellent pass puts QPR on the counter attack with Loic Remy. He gets the ball onto his left foot but his shot deflects off Ron Vlaar and ends up just wide of goal.

TOWSEND SLICE

With two goals in two games, confidence is now flowing through Andros Townsend. He cuts in from his right-wing berth and again lashes at goal with his left boot, but this time the effort is wayward.

TOWNSEND SCORES

Where did that come from? QPR enjoy a sustained period of possession but it doesn't look like they're making any inroads into the Aston Villa defence. Suddenly, Park Ji-Sung lays the ball off to Andros Townsend, who drives it into the bottom corner from 20 yards out. We're level again!

GOOOAAALLL!!!

It's in! Andros Townsend equalises for QPR!

CLARK HEADER

Aston Villa float a corner kick into the QPR penalty area and Ciaran Clark gets his head to the ball but his effort is cushioned and easily grasped by Julio Cesar. Meanwhile, Adel Taarabt is trying to exert himself on the game at the other end of the pitch, weaving between defenders but running out of space as he concedes a goal kick.

THREE AT THE BACK

It looks like it's going to be a three-man defence for QPR now, who have to start taking some risks. Should they lose this match, they will be seven points behind Aston Villa in the Premier League.

TAARABT ON

Queens Park Rangers have struggled since Bobby Zamora went off at half-time. They've had nobody able to hold the ball up at the spearhead of their attack, with Loic Remy unable to have an impact on the match so far. Harry Redknapp therefore chooses to make a change, with the unpredictable Adel Taarabt replacing Fabio, who has had a poor game at left-back.

LOWTON MISS

That should be that! Matthew Lowton is completely untracked as he plays a one-two with Christian Benteke on the edge of the penalty area. He has a chance to get a shot in on goal, completely uncontested, but he hooks his effort wide at the far post.

BENTEKE BLAST

Christian Benteke is seeing more of the ball now. He sees space in the QPR half and advances into it before striking low at goal from 30 yards. It's not a taxing save for Julio Cesar to make though - Benteke really should have passed to one of his team mates instead.

WEIMANN SCORES

Aston Villa are in the lead. Andreas Weimann receives the ball on the edge of the QPR penalty area with his back to goal. He's allowed to turn, and calmly strokes the ball into the bottom left corner of Julio Cesar's goal. Villa Park has erupted!

GOOOAAALLL!!!

It's in! Andreas Weimann puts Villa in front!

WEIMANN HEADER

What a chance! Christian Benteke suddenly bursts into life, sprinting into the area as QPR defenders bounce off him. He's dispossessed but Joe Bennett chips the ball to the back post for Andreas Weimann, whose header is tipped over by Julio Cesar. Meanwhile, Charles N'Zogbia replaces Yacouba Sylla.

BENTEKE VOLLEY

There's a game of head tennis in the QPR penalty area after the visitors fail to clear a free-kick aimed at their goal. The ball eventually falls to Christian Benteke on the edge of the area but his volley is high and not very handsome.

JULIO CESAR CLAIMS

Aston Villa win a corner after Gabriel Agbonlahor sees a cross blocked. From the corner kick, Julio Cesar is hesitant to come out again, meaning Fabio is forced to hack behind for another set piece. It's not the best goalkeeping from the Brazilian but he claims the following ball in to settle his defence.

HILL INTERCEPTS

Queens Park Rangers are extremely lucky to escape that situation without conceding. Fabio is asleep and doesn't notice the run of Andreas Weimann, allowing him to pull the ball back across goal but luckily for the visitors, Clint Hill puts in an excellent block.

QUIET START

It's a quiet start to the second half. Loic Remy and Ciaran Clark are involved in a clash of heads on the halfway line but there's no lasting damage for either player.

BACK UNDERWAY

We're back underway at Villa Park. Will we have more goals in the second half of this match? Queens Park Rangers have made a change, throwing on Junior Hoilett for Bobby Zamora.

HALF-TIME REPORT

Relegation six-pointers don't get much bigger than this, and a defeat for either Aston Villa or Queens Park Rangers today would edge them closer to the drop. Villa had all the possession early on but the warning signs were there for Paul Lambert's men as Brad Guzan was forced to save brilliantly from Chris Samba on two separate occasions. In the end, the American stopper could do nothing as Jermaine Jenas scrambled the ball in to put the visitors ahead. It looked as if Harry Redknapp's men would hold a half-time lead but, just before the whistle, Gabriel Agbonlahor headed in an equaliser after Julio Cesar, a spectator for 44 minutes, failed to come and collect a deep cross. This one could go either way in the second half.

HALF-TIME WHISTLE

And that's half-time at Villa Park. It's Aston Villa 1 QPR 1.

AGBONLAHOR GOAL

Just like last week against Reading, Gabriel Agbonlahor equalises on the stroke of half-time. Julio Cesar doesn't come to collect a cross into the penalty area and Agbonlahor heads into the back of the net. Game on.

GOOOAAALLL!!!

It's in! Gabriel Agbonlahor equalises!

OFF THE POST

Jose Bosingwa strikes a free-kick from the edge of the Aston Villa penalty area but it strikes the foot of the post! That was nearly 2-0!

SAMBA DOMINANCE

Chris Samba and Christian Benteke have had multiple duels inside the Aston Villa penalty area and the former is winning the battle convincingly. He knocks down another free-kick into the path of Jermaine Jenas but Villa's defence react just in time. Meanwhile, Andreas Weimann is booked for dissent.

BANNAN BOOKED

Barry Bannan goes into the book for Aston Villa as he pulls down Stephane Mbia in what is one of the game's big physical mismatches. The resulting free-kick, from 40 yards out, is aimed at Chris Samba again but his header is easily saved by Brad Guzan.

REMY BLAST

QPR's Loic Remy isn't closed down on the edge of the Aston Villa area, encouraging him to shoot on the angle. It's a great effort and Brad Guzan has to claw the ball from the top corner once again.

NO CUTTING EDGE

The Villa Park faithful are doing their best to back their team today but Villa aren't giving much back at the moment. The effort is there but the incisiveness certainly isn't, as the rain continues to fall in Birmingham.

TOWNSEND PACE

That was a fantastic run by Andros Townsend, who uses blistering pace to run across the width of the field in Villa's third of the pitch. Yacouba Sylla fouls the winger on the edge of the box, earning him a yellow card. Bobby Zamora takes the free-kick and only just misses the target. Brad Guzan was beaten.

VILLA NARROW

Aston Villa have been tidy with the ball at their feet but there's no penetration or width from Paul Lambert's men going forward. QPR haven't looked in danger of conceding at all, and Christian Benteke has been an observer.

SPRING IN THEIR STEP

QPR have a spring in their step now. Jermaine Jenas could be in on goal again but Bobby Zamora, with his back to him, doesn't spot the former Villa midfielder and the opportunity doesn't come to fruition.

JENAS SCORES

That's great work from Jermaine Jenas. He receives the ball in midfield, after Aston Villa give it away, and releases Bobby Zamora. Zamora's shot, on the angle, is tipped away by Brad Guzan but Jenas had continued his run, and slides in to poke the ball into the back of the net from six yards out.

GOOOAAALLL!!!

It's in! Jermaine Jenas gives QPR the lead!

PENALTY BOX PANIC

There's panic in the Aston Villa penalty area as Andros Townsend chips the ball to the back post. Bobby Zamora is there and can knock it down into a dangerous area but Ron Vlaar hacks clear. Villa have had most of the possession but the chances have fallen to QPR.

BAKER OFF

There's a bit of a delayed reaction here. Nathan Baker had looked fine to continue but he's just dropped to the floor again and appears to still be feeling the effects. Paul Lambert is going to have to make a change when the ball is next out of play, as Baker trudges down the tunnel. Joe Bennett comes on.

BAKER KNOCK

Nathan Baker comes off worse after a clash of heads with Christopher Samba inside the QPR penalty area. He's shaken up - as most Premier League players would be after running into the big Congolese defender - but he looks fine to continue.

MBIA BOOKED

The first yellow card of the game goes to Stephane Mbia, who bundles over Andreas Weimann as the Austrian forward looked to speed away across the sodden Villa Park turf.

GUZAN BRILLIANCE

What a save! Absolutely outstanding from Brad Guzan. A direct diagonal free-kick is aimed at Chris Samba inside the penalty box and the big defender sends a looping header back across goal. It looks destined to find the top corner but the American goalkeeper makes an amazing save. Seconds later, he makes another one as Samba drives at goal with his right foot.

BOSINGWA BACKPASS

Controversy in the QPR penalty area. Jose Bosingwa gets himself in trouble on his own byline and is forced to pass the ball back to his own goalkeeper, who picks it up. Aston Villa are insistent that it's a deliberate backpass but Kevin Friend disagrees.

BAKER CLOSE

The first corner kick of the game goes to Aston Villa and they nearly profit from it. Barry Bannan's well-flighted delivery finds Nathan Baker but he can't quite jump high enough to make contact with the ball.

WEIMANN CUTBACK

Aston Villa are seeing plenty of the ball now and work it well before releasing Andreas Weimann down the left wing. The Austrian attempts to pick out Christian Benteke in the middle but his cross is directed behind the striker. Positive signs for the hosts.

QPR POSSESSION

Queens Park Rangers begin the game with a period of possession in the middle third of the pitch. Stephane Mbia decides to try and pick out Loic Remy with a direct pass but the ball bounces out for a goal kick.

WE'RE OFF

Referee Kevin Friend blows his whistle and gets this relegation six-pointer underway at Villa Park. Which one of these teams will give their survival hopes a boost today?

CONFIRMED TEAM NEWS

Paul Lambert names an unchanged Aston Villa starting XI for this afternoon's match, but Julio Cesar and Jermaine Jenas are back in the Queens Park Rangers line-up.

REF WATCH

Kevin Friend takes charge of today's massive relegation six-pointer at Villa Park. The 41-year-old has officiated in 17 Premier League matches this season and has the fourth highest yellow cards to games ratio. Neither side will be particularly delighted to see Friend as the man in the middle today - every time he's refereed an Aston Villa or QPR match this season, the opposition has triumphed.

WHAT THEY SAID

Queens Park Rangers boss Harry Redknapp said: "I think they're [Villa] a massive club and they're a young team. The pressure of the home crowd can play on people's performances. People wrote us off four weeks ago. But now we've got ourselves back in the picture. We were no hopers so the pressure is not so much on us. It is a big game for sure. We're both in a relegation battle so it's going to have an important bearing on the league. It'll make a massive difference to the look of the league table. The lads are ready to go and all along I felt we could do it. I said it was going to be tough. I still think we can do it."

WHAT THEY SAID

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert said: "I've always been positive in my football and the way we've been playing lately I don't see why we should be unduly worried. I don't talk about it [relegation], I just focus on the game ahead of us. We're in the mix with a lot of other teams but I've got belief we're going to be fine. You can't influence what has happened in the past. You can only influence what happens now. There's still a long time to go after this game, so Saturday's result will not define anything."

QUEENS PARK RANGERS TEAM NEWS

Harry Redknapp has confirmed that goalkeeper Julio Cesar and playmaker Adel Taarabt are fit again for Queens Park Rangers and will be considered for selection. Left-back Armand Traore faces a late fitness test to judge whether he has recovered from a calf strain. Bobby Zamora, playing through the pain barrier in recent weeks, will lead the line for QPR despite carrying various ankle and hip concerns. Andy Johnson and Tal Ben-Haim are still on the sidelines with respective knee and hip injuries.

ASTON VILLA TEAM NEWS

Aston Villa will be without midfielder Fabian Delph who completes a two-match suspension today, while Karim El-Ahmadi remains on the sidelines with an ankle injury. The versatile Chris Herd will miss the rest of the season and striker Darren Bent is also likely to have to watch on from the stands as he continues to nurse a troublesome ankle problem. Mark Albrighton, Gary Gardner, Richard Dunne and Stilian Petrov are all long-term absentees.

MATCH PREVIEW

Aston Villa attack their second relegation battle in as many weeks this afternoon when rock-bottom Queens Park Rangers visit Villa Park. The Villains pulled themselves out of the bottom three with a victory at Reading last week but still remain deeply anxious of a drop into the Championship. QPR are in a more desperate situation than their opponents but there is a real optimism, fuelled by recent results, that Harry Redknapp's men can pull off the great escape. Consecutive Premier League victories have given QPR half a chance of that but a defeat in the midlands this afternoon would represent a real blow to those hopes. However a third victory in a row would lift them to within a point of today's hosts - and potentially, more importantly, just a point away from the increasingly sought-after 17th place in the league.