Aston Villa have moved to within nine points of safety after securing a goalless draw away at West Bromwich Albion.
The stalemate extends Villa's unbeaten record in all competitions to five games, but boss Remi Garde will be disappointed with just a point having witnessed his side produce another improved display against the Baggies.
Jordan Ayew, Ashley Westwood and Rudy Gestede all had opportunities for Villa, but the visitors had to make do with a draw on their short trip across the West Midlands.
Read below to see how the action unfolded at The Hawthorns.
2.00pmHello, and welcome to Sports Mole's live commentary of the West Midlands derby between West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa.
2.03pmFor years, Aston Villa have been recognised as the biggest club in the West Midlands but their recent demise has left West Bromwich Albion in pole position to take over that tag. This afternoon will see Villa make another attempt to not only restore some pride, but try to reduce the 10-point deficit that stands between themselves and safety and the 15-point gap behind West Brom, who have their eyes on a top-10 place.
2.04pmWithout further ado, let's take a look at the two teams have have been named by Tony Pulis and Remi Garde.
2.05pmWEST BROMWICH ALBION XI: Foster; Olsson, Yacob, Evans, Gardner, McClean, McAuley, Fletcher, Dawson, Sessegnon, Rondon
2.06pmWEST BROMWICH ALBION SUBSTITUTES: Myhill; Chester, Anichebe, Pocognoli, Lambert, Berahino, McManaman
2.06pmASTON VILLA XI: Bunn, Richards, Okore, Lescott, Cissokho, Bacuna, Gana, Westwood, Gil, Ayew, Kozak
2.07pmASTON VILLA SUBSTITUTES: Guzan, Clark, Sinclair, Veretout, Lyden, Gestede, Grealish.
2.10pmThe big news coming from Pulis's selection is a return to Premier League action for Ben Foster. The England international has featured in the FA Cup since making his return from a serious knee injury, but today represents his first start in the league. He didn't have too much to do in midweek against Bristol City but his contribution obviously impressed his manager. Striker Salomon Rondon has also earned a return to the starting lineup after scoring in the FA Cup on Tuesday evening.
2.14pmAs for Villa, Garde has made one alteration to the team that secured a 1-1 draw with Leicester City last weekend. Micah Richards returns to the side at right-back, with Leandro Bacuna moving into midfield to replace Jordan Veretout, who drops to the bench. Libor Kozak has retained his place in attack, despite failing to score since returning to the squad since the turn of the year.
2.16pmBefore he continue to preview this afternoon's fixture at The Hawthorns, let me point you in the direction of our live text commentary of Norwich City and Liverpool. It's currently 3-3 at Carrow Road with around 15 minutes remaining.
2.17pmScrap that, it's now 4-3 to Liverpool! What a game. Now you just have to take a look at our live commentary...
2.21pmBack to this game, and it's probably fair to say that this is a vital game for Aston Villa. When you are 10 points adrift of safety, I guess they all are, but they cannot afford to lose any ground at the bottom of the standings. With Newcastle United, Swansea City and Bournemouth all starting to pick up wins, they are keeping the pressure on the teams below them, and one slip up could prove disastrous in May. That said, Villa fans have reason to be encouraged by their recent form, although understandably, they won't be getting too carried away.
2.25pmThey would have expected to progress past Wycombe Wanderers in the FA Cup, but four points from two Premier League fixtures at home to Crystal Palace and Leicester must be considered a bonus. A third of their points for the season have been collected in just 180 minutes, and it's imperative that they build on that. It remains to be seen whether they can back it up on the road - they haven't won away from home since the opening day of the season - but conceding just two goals in four games is massive for a team who have been criticised for their lack of hunger and desire throughout the campaign.
2.31pmWhile Villa's defence has leaked goals for fun, it's the attack that hasn't lived up to expectations. When the likes of Rudy Gestede and Jordan Ayew arrived in the summer, an influx of goals were expected, as well as an exciting combination of a target man and a skilful strike partner. The pair have contributed half of Villa's goals in the league, but they have both failed to hold down a regular place at the same time. Gestede was involved at the start of the season and Ayew has impressed more recently after a slow start to life in England. Maybe the time is right for Garde to give the duo a run of games together, if Kozak doesn't find the back of the net today.
2.34pmThe Villa team have just headed out for the warm-up. Carles Gil does not look a fan of the English weather...
Build-up video: The lads are out for their warm-up. #AVFC #WBA #WBAAVL https://t.co/e07tHCdVrK
— Aston Villa FC (@AVFCOfficial) January 23, 2016
2.40pmIt's time to take a look at West Brom, who come into the game on the back of edging out Bristol City in the FA Cup. However, it's last weekend's dismal performance in the 3-0 defeat to Southampton that would have caught Tony Pulis's attention. The Baggies never got going at St Mary's, which would have been all the more disappointing having taken seven points from their previous three games. Victory would have taken the club up to 10th place too, quite a difference to the 13th spot they find themselves in ahead of today's game. West Brom should not get involved in any kind of a relegation battle, but the gap between themselves and 18th position is just six points. This match is massive for Villa, but it's pretty important to the home side too.
2.43pmRESULT! Didn't I tell you that you needed to head over to our text commentary of Norwich City and Liverpool? I hope you did. Liverpool have won 5-4. I'm saying nothing else - head over to our match report from a crazy game at Carrow Road.
2.49pmWith goals being the topic of conversation, Pulis will be frustrated with the contributions of his forwards this campaign. Saido Berahino and Salomon Rondon have scored just three each in the Premier League, with West Brom's overall total for the season standing at 22. Berahino's return can be put down to not featuring on a regular basis, but more will be expected of Rondon, who has made 16 league starts since arriving for £12m from Zenit St Petersburg. It's been nearly three months since he netted in the top flight, a run stretching eight games. He's due one...
2.51pmPREDICTION! This is surely going to be a low-scoring match, isn't it? The two teams have just 40 goals between them this season, so we are going to go for a 1-0 victory to West Brom. Villa have improved recently, but they are not getting enough goals from a central-attacking position and Garde may rue not recalling Gestede to his starting lineup.
2.57pmThe two teams looked ready to make their way out onto the pitch at The Hawthorns. They can expect a passionate reception from their respective following.
1 minAston Villa get us underway in the West Midlands.
3 minStrong start from West Brom, who are looking to get their frontmen involved at the earliest opportunity. A cross is whipped in from the flank for Rondon, but former West Brom defender Lescott was there to make the clearance.
3 minStrong start from West Brom, who are looking to get their frontmen involved at the earliest opportunity. A cross is whipped in from the flank for Rondon, but former West Brom defender Lescott was there to make the clearance.
3 minStrong start from West Brom, who are looking to get their frontmen involved at the earliest opportunity. A cross is whipped in from the flank for Rondon, but former West Brom defender Lescott was there to make the clearance.
6 minAs expected, neither side are allowing the other much time on the ball. West Brom are shading it so far, but Villa are made a decent enough start too.
9 minMore pressure from West Brom, who again use the flanks to get the ball into the penalty. They are once again thwarted by a Villa defender, though, as Cissohko gets the ball away.
12 minThere still hasn't been any chances at The Hawthorns, but the Baggies remain in the ascendancy. They certainly look much improved from the drubbing they received from Southampton.
15 minWe reach the quarter-of-an-hour mark with West Brom earning the first corner of the game but Gardner's delivery comes to nothing against his former side.
18 minVilla start to build some momentum at the other end of the pitch, but the end result was a West Brom breakaway which ended with Sessegnon attempting a shot on goal, but Lescott came to the rescue.
21 minCHANCE! It's been all West Brom as far as attacking threat is concerned, but Villa create the first significant effort on goal through Ayew, who forces a solid stop out of Foster in the Baggies goal.
24 minVilla's players and supporters both claim for a penalty after Ayew is brought down inside the area by Olsson, but the referee waves play on. Probably the right decision but you have seen them given.
27 minEver since his earlier opportunity, Ayew has become more influential and a driving run towards the West Brom defence ends with the Senegalese forward cutting inside before seeing his shot well blocked by a Baggies defender. This one is warming up nicely, but still just the one save made by either goalkeeper.
30 minWest Brom respond through Sessegnon but his cross into the middle is comfortably claim by Mark Bunn, who hasn't had a whole lot to do apart from deal with deliveries into the middle. He will be keen to establish himself at Villa now he has dislodged first-choice stopper Brad Guzan.
33 minIt's difficult to assess whether either manager will be happy or unhappy with this so far. It's still 0-0, but both teams could do with maximum points. It really wouldn't come as any surprise it this ends up goalless.
37 minKozak thinks that his search for a goal is about to come to an end after rounding Foster, but he can only strike the post. Fortunately, he was ruled offside anyway. We haven't seen too much of the Czech so far.
41 minBOOKING! Villa manage to win a corner thanks to the good work of Cissohko, but Richards is booked for a strong challenge on Yacob.
42 minGil's corner evades everyone and West Brom regain possession. Villa are ending this first half on the front foot, though.
45 minHALF TIME: West Bromwich Albion 0-0 Aston Villa
3.48pmWest Brom won a free kick outside the penalty area on 45 minutes but after that came to nothing, the referee decided to blow up for half time. You can't blame him. While both teams showed plenty of endeavour, scoring opportunities were few and far between. Let's hope for better in the second half.
3.58pmWest Brom had one shot and forced one corner, which was wasted, during that opening 45 minutes. Villa weren't a whole lot better, but Pulis will be furious with his team's lack of cutting edge. Alterations are surely imminent.
46 minWest Brom get us back underway. It doesn't look like either team have made any changes.
48 minLike in the first half, it's the home side who start well and win a free kick in a threatening position. Gardner's cross finds the head of Dwson, but his header is never threatening the goal and goes harmlessly over.
53 minNot much since that half-chance, though. This really looks like a game where a substitution at the right time is going to prove pivotal. Hint hint, Tony and Remi...
54 minSessegnon tries his luck from distance but he sees his shot go off target. He has been West Brom's biggest threat this afternoon but he hasn't really come anywhere near to finding the back of the net.
57 minThere has been a lot of this during the opening 57 minutes of this game, but that's about it. Sorry if I am starting to sound negative, but this match needs a substitution.
#WBA 0-0 #AVFC – MATCH PIC: Carles Gil and Darren Fletcher fight for possession. #WBAAVL pic.twitter.com/boGJqpnC88
— Aston Villa FC (@AVFCOfficial) January 23, 2016
58 minSHOT! Rondon, who has barely featured all afternoon, finally gets a look in on goal but after meeting Dawson's cutback, his shot goes sailing into the stands.
60 minBerahino and Grealish haven't been in favour with their managers recently. This would be a good game to win them back over...30 minutes to go.
63 minSHOT! Villa haven't done much this half as far as attacking is concerned, but Westwood manages to get a decent 25-yard effort on goal that is well dealt with by Foster. The visitors need more moments like that. Berahino is on for Albion.
64 minSUBSTITUTION! Moments after the arrival of Berahino, Gestede replaces Kozak for Villa. I could have predicted that change a while ago.
65 minSUBSTITUTION! Here comes Anichebe too, who replaces Rondon. I said that I wanted changes but not three in two minutes! Let's see how those substitutions impact this match.
67 minCHANCE! It's taken just a couple of minutes for Gestede to make his mark in the West Brom penalty area but he is unable to break the deadlock. Westwood sent in an inviting cross, but the forward was only able to glance the ball wide.
71 minWestwood is beginning to seize a bit of control in this game for Villa and he provides an assist for Bacuna to run through on goal. However, Dawson got back well to challenge the midfielder as he prepared to get a shot away.
74 minIt's pretty much all Villa now but they still can't quite that one opportunity to fully test Foster. A cross into the middle from Cissohko found Gestede, but he was unable to get much pace onto his looping header.
75 minSUBSTITUTION! West Brom head coach Pulis has opted to make his third and final change, throwing on Conor McManaman in place of Sessegnon.
79 minSUBSTITUTION! Another change for Villa, and it's a big blow. Gestede has sustained a hamstring injury and been replaced by Veretout.
82 minSHOT! Despite that blow, Villa continue to look for what would be a huge winning goal. Westwood takes aim from around 25 yards out but Foster is equal to it and tips the ball around the post. Foster has done well today on his return to Premier League action.
85 minCHANCE! Again, it's Villa who looks the more likely to break the deadlock at The Hawthorns but no-one can add the final touch inside the six-yard box after some brilliant play and a cutback from Gil.
89 minGil has come to life in these closing moments and has won his team a free kick around 35 yards from goal. Nothing comes from it though. Moments later, Bacuna fires off target from 25 yards. Villa deserve a goal here. Into added-on time we go.
90+3 minFULL TIME: West Bromwich Albion 0-0 Aston Villa
4.54pmThe final whistle goes at The Hawthorns and despite dominating the closing stages, Villa have to make do with just a point. West Brom would have expected to win this game, especially in front of their own fans, but they will be satisfied with a point after a poor performance.
4.59pmThat will be all from Sports Mole for this match, but we hope that you can stick around for all of the results and reaction from elsewhere, while the match between West Ham United and Manchester City gets underway at 5.30pm, GMT. Goodbye for now.
