Carabao Cup: Bolton 1 Aston Villa 4 - Report

For an hour this was anything but before Steven Gerrard’s decision to name a strong starting XI eventually paid dividends and saw them advance beyond brave Bolton and into the Carabao Cup third round.

Trailing to Dion Charles’ 24th minute opener, Villa relied on quality of star names and some questionable goalkeeping from Joel Dixon to best their League One hosts and prevent their campaign being plunged into mini-crisis barely a fortnight after it began.

Douglas Luiz scored direct from a corner to bring them level before Danny Ings, from the penalty spot, and Lucas Digne netted in the space of three second half minutes to finally wrestle control of the night, substitute Leon Bailey adding a fourth goal for the visitors late on.

It wasn’t hugely convincing but it was enough. After the manner of Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Crystal Palace, Gerrard could ill afford a cup upset and it was just as well he took no chances. Bolton boss Ian Evatt made six changes to his team but the hosts played with predictable passion and verve. The biggest positive for Villa was that, after falling behind, they overcame a test of character.

There were five changes in total to the Villa team which started at Selhurst Park, with Calum Chambers, Ashley Young and Luiz all handed their first starts of the season.

It was the hosts who carved out the first chance, Elias Kachunga finding space 25 yards out before sending a powerful effort whistling just past the upright.

Philippe Coutinho tried the audacious with a dipping effort from distance which was straight at goalkeeper Dixon. His next effort, from the edge of the box after receiving a pass from Watkins, appeared to take a flick off a defender on its way through to Dixon.

Villa were starting to pick at the seams of the home defence and George Johnston went into the book for a diving challenge on Ollie Watkins.

Dixon then twice saved his team in quick succession. Ings was the first to be denied, the goalkeeper throwing himself to his right to keep out the striker’s first-time shot after Young had come bursting out of defence and down the right wing.

The Bolton keeper then came racing off his line to thwart Watkins, who had latched on to McGinn’s fine reverse pass and attempted to go round Dixon. Ings pounced on the loose ball but though his effort was diverted in by Watkins, the latter was in an offside position.

The saves gained extra significance when Bolton then took the lead. Kamara and Luiz between them could not deprive Kachunga of possession, Kieran Lee turned Chambers with too much ease and squared for Charles to finish low into the net. The home stands erupted and suddenly the night had got a lot tougher.

Villa looked shaky, Mings’ losing possession and Dapo Afolyan sending an effort straight at Martinez.

The visitors needed something to settle the jitters and Luiz supplied it from nowhere, repeating his party trick from the pre-season friendly at Walsall by curling a corner over Dixon and everyone else’s head and into the far side of the net, referee Andrew Kitchen ignoring home appeals for a foul by Mings at the far post.

Clearly buzzing with confidence, Luiz tried the same again soon after, this time Dixon able to rise above the congestion and punch clear

Villa were back out for the second half a good couple of minutes before the hosts but almost caught napping immediately, Chambers jumping under the bounce of the ball allowing Kachunga to escape into the box. Mings hurled himself in the way of the shot and when McGinn brought down the Bolton man 25 yards out, Declan John curled the free-kick just a foot or so wide.

The visitors were playing in fits and spurts. Digne exchanged passes with Coutinho before sending a right-footed effort sailing wide of the far post when a pass to a team-mate might have been a better option. Ings then came within inches of putting Villa ahead when he shot against the post, having latched on to Watkins’ well-timed through ball.

Villa had threatened to split the home defence on a few occasions and the next occasion brought a penalty. Coutinho found Ings and though the striker looked to have fluffed the chance with a heavy touch, Dixon went sliding into him and referee Kitchen pointed to the spot. After a lengthy delay following Bolton’s protestations, Ings kept his nerve to send Dixon the wrong way and Villa were ahead.

Three minutes later they had a two-goal cushion, Digne taking advantage of the keeper’s hasty advance to slot a left-footed shot inside the near post after being played in by Ings.

Buendia was denied by Dixon shortly after coming off the bench before Bailey added more gloss to the scoreline late on. Dixon then denied Cameron Archer and McGinn as Villa pushed for more.

Teams

Bolton (3-4-1-2): Dixon, Aimson, Santos ©, Johnston, John, Lee, Williams, Bradley, Kachunga (Dempsey 68), Charles, Afolyan (Bakayoko 71) Subs not used: Jones, Sadlier, Iredale, Morley, Thomason, Trafford (gk).

Villa (4-3-1-2): Martinez, Young, Chambers, Mings, Digne, McGinn, Kamara (Ramsey 71), Luiz (Iroegbunam 84), Coutinho (Buendia 71), Ings (Archer 82), Watkins (Bailey 71) Subs not used: Cash, Konsa, Feeney, Olsen (gk).