Aston Villa 3 Blackburn Rovers 1: Mat Kendrick's big match verdict and player ratings

Sep 23 2010 by Mat Kendrick

THE last time Gerard Houllier kicked Emile Heskey off a bench with such an impact the striker was lying between his manager and life-saving heart treatment in the Anfield physio room.

Last night Aston Villa’s new boss repeated the feat by sending on the much-maligned forward and Heskey responded by getting Houllier and the Holte End’s blood-pumping again.

Needless to say Houllier will not be quite as grateful about Heskey’s assistance last night as he was on that eventful October afternoon back in 2001 – but he might just have started this Villa revival.

Heskey scored one, made another and his positive presence unsettled Blackburn enough to lift the Villa Park faithful and fire Villa into the last 16.

Houllier’s rallying cry to the claret and blue masses included his intention to finally drag Villa out of their comfort zone and transform them into a winning club.

It certainly seemed anything but comfortable during the first half as Villa laboured and trailed to Gael Givet’s cracking opener.

Despite his affection for the competition he won in 2001 and 2003 at Liverpool, Houllier rotated his squad, making eight changes from the side that drew with Bolton.

With no pre-season to assess his players, the new coach suggested that yesterday evening’s tie was the perfect opportunity to run the rule over some unfamilar faces.