Match Report: Guzan Saves the Day as Villa Keep Rare Clean Sheet

Villa picked up a crucial 3 points against Norwich in the early kick-off on Saturday, avoiding a fourth successive league defeat having not done suffered such a string since 2009 courtesy of a first Premier League clean sheet in 27 games.

They had their American shot stopper to thank for that, who had kept out an early Robert Snodgrass penalty before Libor Kozak, replacement for the injured Christian Benteke, opened his Villa account at the second time of asking from an Agbonlahor cutback.

Both managers made changes to their previous line-ups, with right-backs Whittaker and Lowton and central midfielders Johnson and Westwood missing out for Norwich and Villa respectively. While Paul Lambert confirmed that the latter missed the game with a 'strain' he revealed that Matt Lowton - who started every league game for Villa prior to an injury late in the 2012/13 season - was dropped from the squad.

It was Villa who had the first chance within a minute and the visitors could have been two up early on. Weimann twice worked his way into promising positions before hitting an effort in the first minute straight at Ruddy and then finding the Norwich keeper’s far post with a curling shot. Just moments later Norwich were awarded a penalty for a handball by Ciaran Clark, though whether the defender could have got his arm out of the way of Van Wolfswinkel's knock down is up for debate.

Robert Snodgrass stepped up and saw his spot kick saved to Brad Guzan's left, with the effort at a good height for the USA international. That moment would typify the duo's afternoon. While the stop was the most important action in the match from Villa's keeper, he was outstanding in the main, producing one of the saves of the season so far from substitute Hooper late on as well as a reaction stop after the ball threatened to go beyond him off one of his own defenders in the second half.

The 29-year old made 9 successful high claims from crosses - no keeper had managed more than 5 in a game before the lunchtime kick-off - and that's where Snodgrass comes in. The Scot attempted 21 crosses in the match, which was a full 7 more than any other Premier League player in a game this season, but all too often they sailed straight to a commanding Guzan.

The Norwich winger did find a man with 5 of his attempts but his delivery was often lofted in, lacking whip and pace. While Guzan was deservedly rewarded WhoScored.com's man of the match with an excellent rating of 9.0, Snodgrass picked up a meagre 6.2 for the hosts and his early season struggles with fitness and form seemed to continue.

That a key battle, so to speak, in the game was between a winger and a keeper speaks volumes for the quality (or lack thereof) on display at times. After a bright start Villa's goal seemed to stifle their threat thereafter and Norwich simply lacked the quality on the day to capitalise from the visitor's decision to drop off a little.

Van Wolfswinkel missed a glorious chance for the home side when Nathan Redmond's back post cutback seemed to just strike the Dutchman on the chest and balloon over with the goal gaping. Benteke then had a shot blocked after a well-worked Villa move involving Weimann and Agbonlahor but shortly after a slip left the Belgian in a heap and he was unable to continue. Lambert revealed that the original prognosis was a hip flexor strain but seemed optimistic that his top scorer wouldn't face a lengthy lay off.

His replacement, new signing Libor Kozak from Lazio, took just two minutes to open the scoring, missing a glorious chance after a slide rule pass from Weimann before Agbonlahor picked up the rebound to cut back for the Czech international to steer home. Villa's longest serving player was another to pick up a knock in the game having produced a game high of 6 key passes in the match – 3 times as many as any teammate - while Norwich skipper Bassong was forced off before half time.

Elsewhere Villa midfielder Karim El Ahmadi (8.0 rating) made a huge 11 tackles in the game, with no player producing more than 9 in a league game this season beforehand, whilst maintaining a 92% pass accuracy. Meanwhile Leroy Fer (7.1 rating) was a bright spark in an otherwise unconvincing display from the Canaries – awarded the home sponsors’ man of the match - though there could be no doubt of the key man on show, as a Guzan inspired Villa clawed themselves out of a mini rut.

Much of the attention was on returning manager Paul Lambert before the game, who received a fair amount of stick from the Carrow Road support, but the Scot had the last laugh once again. He's come away victorious from his former stomping ground on three occasions since making the move to Villa last summer and will consider the result to be a crucial win with difficult home games against City and Everton coming up.