Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage from Villa Park where Paul Lambert’s Aston Villa entertain Wigan in the Premier League.

Villa are again operating with a back three – but, with Weimann, Bannan and Ireland in front of them, one must question how much protection they’ll be afforded, and that early goal will do little for their collective confidence.

That is the worst possible start for the hosts. The defending there was beyond abject – Ramis rose unopposed on the edge of the six-yard box to head home.

GGGOOOOAL!! Beausejour whips the ball in and the returning Ramis evades the attention of Benteke and powers a header past Guzan.

Lowton is lucky not to give away a penalty as he appears to handle a ball over the top but referee Friend points for a corner.

Wigan begin with a decent spell of possession until McCarthy is ushered off the ball for a Villa throw.

The players have exchanged handshakes and we’re almost underway – you get the impression that this game could go a long way to determining the trajectory of their respective seasons. Wigan kick-off.

The referee for today’s fixture is Kevin Friend.

Match odds: Aston Villa 7/5, draw 9/4, Wigan 2/1.

Roberto Martinez: “We do need to do more to make sure we try and keep a clean sheet and prevent goals going in, because we’re making it difficult from ourselves by going behind in games and having a mountain to climb at times. It’s important now that we get everyone back from injury, fit again and competing for places in the team. That energy and intensity which will come from competition in the squad will help make a difference at both ends of the pitch.”

MANAGER QUOTES: Paul Lambert: "Whether we win, lose or draw, we always try to treat the players the same way and try to keep their spirits the same. One thing in football is that you can't dwell on it and you have to recover - there is no other way."

Much has been made of Villa’s desperate festive capitulation: they have conceded 12 goals in their last two games – the previous 12 came in 10 games. But, following an encouraging start, Wigan have faded alarmingly and, despite it only being the halfway point of the season, this game is definite relegation six-point territory.

Wigan’s slide down the table has coincided with an unlucky run of injuries and Roberto Martinez is without a host of names for the trip to the Midlands. But defender Ivan Ramis, who is still to make an appearance after suffering a hamstring injury at the end of last month, starts and Franco Di Santo returns to the starting XI. Antolin Alcaraz, who is yet to play this term after failing to shake off a groin injury, should be available soon.

Defender Nathan Baker is the latest to be ruled out and joins captain Ron Vlaar (calf), Gabriel Agbonlahor (thigh), Charles N'Zogbia (knee), Darren Bent (hamstring), Richard Dunne (groin) and Andreas Weimann (calf) on the sidelines.

TEAMS: Aston Villa: Guzan, Lowton, Clark, Bennett, Holman, Herd, Lichaj, Weimann, Bannan, Ireland, Benteke. Subs: Given, El Ahmadi, Albrighton, Westwood, Bowery, Stevens, Carruthers. /// Wigan Athletic: Al Habsi, Caldwell, Boyce, Ramis, Figueroa, Beausejour, Maloney, Jones, McCarthy, Di Santo, Kone. Subs: Politt, Gomez, McManaman, McArthur, Boselli, Stam, Golbart.