Aston Villa v Fulham

Bouncing back from successive defeats, Aston Villa return to winning ways against a flat Fulham side, edging to a tense 1-0 win at Villa Park. Taking them level with Chelsea and Nottingham Forest in the Premier League table, Unai Emery's men claim three points thanks to an early Tielemans header that ultimately separates the sides. Leno and Martinez both made a handful of saves, Watkins missed two chances, and Malen struck the crossbar late on, but it was far from a classic contest: Villa's final xG of 0.86, compared to Fulham's 0.71, sums up a lack of precision across the final third. Still, the Villans pull nine points clear of their visitors and are still in the hunt for a cherished top-five finish. While Marco Silva's side host Everton next week - when they could trail Brighton, Brentford and Bournemouth in the race for European qualification - Villa visit the latter in seven days' time. That's all from Birmingham today, so thank you for joining us and goodbye!

Yellow Card Adama Traoré Diarra

FULL-TIME: ASTON VILLA 1-0 FULHAM

Fulham are forcing Aston Villa back now, trying to engineer one last opening. The hosts are keeping compact, though, and they can surely sense the finish line.

OFF THE BAR! Malen strikes the woodwork late on! Played through by Ramsey, the substitute striker holds off Andersen and drives his shot towards the target, but it rattles back off the crossbar! That was so close to sealing victory for Villa!

Summing up Fulham's attacking efforts today, Andersen pumps an angled cross from the right straight out of play, over the left byline. Of course, Martinez will be in no hurry to take the subsequent goal-kick.

There will be at least eight minutes of stoppage time at the end of this second half, and Onana is left down on the pitch during the first. He was caught in an aerial challenge by Jimenez, who then appeals his innocence - and is right to do so.

Set up by Adama Traore's pass inside from the right, fellow sub Smith Rowe prods a hopeful attempt several yards wide of the left-hand post. Can Fulham carve out one more chance to salvage something from this game?

Meeting the dropping ball, following a Jimenez header, Traore skews a tough volley over the crossbar. It was asking a lot to control that shot, but Fulham have to go for everything now.

Bassey is left on the turf with an injury, and Marco Silva's complaints earn the Fulham boss a yellow card. The game eventually resumes, with Bassey cleared to continue.

Fulham are effectively playing with 10 men, as substitute Reed has been forced to hobble off with what seems to be a calf injury. Malen tries to take advantage, but after a lung-busting run forward he hammers a 20-yard shot high over the top.

Ending another display of midfield mastery, goalscorer Tielemans departs. Barkley will replace him.

Advancing forward from midfield, Tielemans narrowly fails to latch onto a throughball by Malen, who has dropped deep. One more goal would wrap up victory for Aston Villa, but Fulham are still in this while it stays at 1-0.

With Cash back in action, Villa go on the attack. Leno does well to intervene when Malen tries to reach a low Rogers cross from the right, smothering the ball inside his six-yard box.

After making a brave block to stop Andersen taking a shot inside the six-yard box, Cash stays down on the turf. He'll require medical treatment, for what looks like a knee injury.

Willian is also sent on, taking Iwobi's place on the wing.

Fulham make their final changes: first, Berge is replaced by Reed.

With under 20 minutes to go, Fulham's chances of avoiding defeat stand at just 19% according to Opta's live win predictor. Meanwhile, Aston Villa have an 81% chance of wrapping up three precious points. Still, it's an anxious atmosphere inside Villa Park.

A disappointing shift for Watkins is brought to its end, with Malen taking his place up front.

Emery makes more substitutions. First, he reverses his sole change to Villa's starting XI, as Digne replaces Maatsen at left-back.

Watkins and Ramsey combine on the right flank, but the latter's dangerous cross is not cleanly met by Pau Torres at the back post - he couldn't quite get his feet right.

After a long build-up, Tielemans finally takes a free-kick from just over 20 yards out. Whatever he had planned doesn't work out, as he passes straight into Fulham's defensive wall.

Having missed a couple of decent chances, Wilson also departs. Ex-Villa winger Adama Traore is his replacement - he'll add a more direct threat.

Fulham now make two further changes. First, Castagne comes on for Tete at full-back.

For sweeping away the standing leg of Tielemans, Berge picks up a booking.

SAVE! Mistiming his jump, Wilson fails to fully connect with a header inside Villa's box, steering it straight at the well placed Martinez! That was more than a half-chance to draw Fulham level.

Ramsey drives up the left flank before cutting the ball back for Maatsen. The latter then lets fly with a first-time attempt, which flies high over the right side of Leno's goal. The hosts are intent on getting that all-important second goal.

SAVE! From the right side of the box, Watkins shoots hard and low, but his strike is repelled by Leno's leg. That was another good chance for the England striker to extend Villa's lead, but it goes to waste!

Departing with an assist on his 200th Premier League appearance, Villa skipper McGinn is also taken off. Onana will replace him.

Having been even more animated than usual on the sidelines, Emery decides to shake up his starting XI. First, Ramsey replaces a subdued Asensio.

Wilson's inswinging corner is plucked cleanly out of the air by Martinez, who quickly instigates a counter-attack. Bassey brings it to a halt, though, and his foul on Watkins costs him a yellow card.

Marco Silva moves first, replacing a tiring Sessegnon with Smith Rowe. That could see Wilson switch out wide to the right flank.

Lukic clips Cash near the touchline, offering McGinn a chance to deliver the ball into Fulham's box from a free-kick. However, it ultimately sails high over a packed penalty area and drifts away from any danger.

Fulham make two clearances from inside their own area, as Aston Villa try to maintain pressure. After the second, Iwobi picks up possession out wide on the right, and his delicious delivery is poked straight at Martinez by Wilson, at full stretch.

Harshly penalised for accidentally clipping McGinn near the touchline, Tete is shown a yellow card. He really couldn't get out of the way.

After surging forward from midfield, Rogers places a tame low shot several feet wide of the left-hand post. He's not been at his brilliant best today.

In a promising sign that this game could open up, Fulham throw men forward in attack. Tete stands up a cross for Jimenez, whose nod-down tees up Lukic near the penalty spot, but the latter's shot is charged down by a claret-and-blue shirt.

MISS! Watkins spurns a great chance to put Aston Villa 2-0 up! A superb low cross from the right by Cash cuts through Fulham's defence, but Villa's star striker allows the ball to run under his boot when left free, six yards out. It's a lucky escape for the Cottagers!

Aston Villa kick off, and we are back under way in Birmingham!

Still being chased by Bournemouth and Brentford, there's no doubt that Fulham could do with taking at least one point from this game. Their record Premier League tally is 53, when they finished seventh under Roy Hodgson in 2009, so a comeback win would surpass that mark with three games remaining. However, it'll surely require more commitment to attack after the break.

In a fairly tepid Premier League contest at Villa Park, European hopefuls Aston Villa and Fulham are split by an early Tielemans header, which sees the hosts leading 1-0 at half-time. The Belgian midfielder met McGinn's corner-kick to power Villa in front, but further chances were few and far between, as Fulham ended with an xG of 0.18 to the home side's 0.12. There have been only two shots on target, though Tielemans went close to extending Villa's advantage shortly before the break, in a game marked by caution - and surely some tension. The hosts have not lost any of their last 23 Premier League home games when ahead at half-time - winning 19 - so they'll be confident of finishing the job.

HALF-TIME: ASTON VILLA 1-0 FULHAM

Martinez has his palms stung by an angled drive from Iwobi, who lashes towards the target from 20 yards out. It's been a quiet shift for Villa's goalkeeper, but he was ready when needed.

SAVE! Leno gets his fingertips on a superb strike by Tielemans, who takes a crack from the edge of the box. The ball is apparently bound for the top-right corner, but Fulham's 'keeper makes a fine stop! Strangely, the officials then award a goal-kick.

Played in by Iwobi, an ambitious Jimenez decides to let fly from a wide angle, around 25 yards out. His shot spirals high and wide - that was taken more in hope than expectation.

Though they are in front - and have barely been troubled by a flat Fulham side - it has been more than half an hour since Aston Villa last attempted a shot. This is not classic stuff at Villa Park.

After Pau Torres concedes a free-kick after being drawn out wide, Wilson and Lukic stand over the set-piece. It's the latter who ultimately takes it, but his delivery is cut out by the first man. Fulham are missing their dead-ball specialist Andreas Pereira.

Starved of opportunities to shine so far, Rogers skips away from two defenders and gets the fans out of their seats, but his low throughball lacks accuracy and drifts straight through to Leno.

Fulham are following precedent, as the London club have won just once in their last 20 attempts to claim victory at Villa Park. They've lost 12 times along the way, and another defeat now would surely end hopes of matching their best-ever Premier League finish, seventh place.

Lukic sends a 30-yard free-kick across Villa's box, and space opens up for Jimenez at the back post. Having edged away from Cash, he then slips over and fails to make contact, so it zips behind for a goal-kick to the hosts.

Still trailing by just one at Villa Park, Fulham will still have hope of turning this game around. Only Liverpool (22) and Man City (20) have gained more Premier League points from losing positions than the Cottagers (18) this season.

Having hauled back Maatsen with an obvious pull, Sessegnon is the first man booked today.

Having been caught on the knee by a stray boot from Pau Torres, Wilson hobbles away. For a moment, it seems that the Welsh winger's in some injury trouble, but ultimately he's fine to carry on.

Approaching the half-hour mark, Aston Villa are keeping possession in midfield, hoping to draw Fulham out and create some space behind. Kamara and Tielemans are pulling the strings.

A lively presence so far, Sessegnon steals the ball from Rogers and sparks a Fulham counter-attack. However, Iwobi's cross from the left is cleared away by the first defender, then Cash shuts out Robinson near the box.

Villa eventually get Wilson's delivery away from danger, following a Fulham corner-kick. Marco Silva must be frustrated with his side so far, as this is a vital game in terms of qualifying for Europe.

This season, Aston Villa have a record of six wins, two draws and no defeats when scoring the opening goal at home in the Premier League. So, it's no surprise that Opta's live win predictor gives them a 70% chance of going on to claim maximum points today. Fulham have just an 11% chance, as things stand.

Leno is quickly off his line, sprinting out to collect an incisive throughball by Villa playmaker Tielemans, with Watkins lurking nearby. It's sharp work from the ever-present German goalkeeper.

Too keen to retrieve the ball, Lukic bundles Kamara over in midfield, gifting Aston Villa a free-kick. So far, Fulham have struggled to get to grips with their hosts - they've yet to record an attempt on target.

Not renowned for his aerial prowess, Tielemans has now netted three headers this season. With 10 goal involvements overall, that's his joint-most in a single Premier League campaign.

Tete is toppled in the Villa box, as he attempts to reach an overhit corner-kick from the right. It was just a collision, though, so he doesn't appeal for a penalty. Having fallen behind at Villa Park yet again, can Fulham find a quick leveller?

On his 200th Premier League appearance, McGinn celebrates reaching such a landmark by setting up Aston Villa's opening goal. His precise corner-kick finds Tielemans in the centre of Fulham's box.

After Fulham flash a dangerous cross along the six-yard box, Villa quickly counter. When Asensio is slipped through on the right, his attempted delivery is blocked behind for another corner.

So far, Aston Villa have had a 57% share of possession, restricting Fulham to just three entries into the final third. It's a calm and controlled start, as Emery's men aim to stop their season ending on a down note.

Asensio takes a corner-kick from the left, playing it short before receiving the ball back from Tielemans. His cross from a more advantageous angle then picks out Watkins, who can't quite rise high enough and fails to control his header.

After a moment of concern, Asensio is able to return to his feet, following a crunching midfield challenge by Robinson. The Fulham full-back is perhaps a little lucky to avoid being booked.

Persistent work by Watkins seems to have won Villa their first corner, but Tete cleverly manages to halt his opponent's progress and earn a goal-kick. Moments later, the hosts do earn a first corner, but McGinn's tame inswinger is easily headed away at the near post.

After a long build-up from the back, Villa mount the game's first attack, as Rogers tries to flick a lofted ball into the box. However, Bassey is alert to the danger, guiding it away towards a Fulham team-mate.

Fulham kick off, and we are under way in Birmingham!

Both teams are out on the pitch at Villa Park, so kick-off in this Premier League contest is now just moments away!

Meanwhile, Fulham make a couple of changes to their starting XI: Lukic replaces Andreas Pereira, who fails to make the squad, and Robinson returns from injury to start at left-back, replacing Brazilian winger Willian. That will see Sessegnon shift forward into the visitors’ attack.

Emery opts for just a single change to the Aston Villa side that started last week's Wembley defeat, as Digne makes way for Maatsen at left-back. Rashford is ruled out with a hamstring injury that could keep him sidelined for the rest of the season; so Watkins starts up front, having scored in his last three games against Fulham. In midfield, captain McGinn makes his 200th Premier League appearance.

SUBS: Steven Benda, Harrison Reed, Tom Cairney, Adama Traore, Carlos Vinicius, Jorge Cuenca, Timothy Castagne, Willian, Emile Smith Rowe.

SUBS: Robin Olsen, Tyrone Mings, Ross Barkley, Lucas Digne, Andres Garcia, Donyell Malen, Amadou Onana, Leon Bailey, Jacob Ramsey.

Still in the mix for European qualification, Fulham can move within three points of Villa with a win, but recent history suggests that may prove a tough task. The Cottagers have lost the teams’ last four meetings, as well as coming away empty-handed from all of their last five league visits to Villa Park. Marco Silva’s men sit eighth in the table, but inconsistency has stopped them climbing higher: none of their last 14 matches has ended level, with last week’s late win over Southampton making it seven wins and seven defeats.

After exiting the Champions League and suffering a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in last week’s FA Cup semi-finals, Aston Villa’s season rests on their Premier League run-in. Hopes of returning to Europe’s top competition were hit by a last-gasp loss at Manchester City in their last league outing, but the Birmingham club are back on home turf today. Unbeaten in 16 top-flight games at Villa Park, they can move level with their record - also set under Unai Emery in 2023 - by avoiding defeat today.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of today's Premier League clash between Aston Villa and Fulham at Villa Park!