Villa results, transfer rumours, etc., for the fortnight ending Sunday, 22 March 2009.....

• Villa are ready to battle it out with Manchester City for Michael Owen in the summer when the striker is due to fall out of contract at Newcastle, reports Clubcall.com.
• Villa are one of several top clubs showing interest in 19-year-old Danish defender Simon Kjaer at Palermo, according to Sport.co.uk.
• Nicky Shorey could be heading back to Reading following his failure to get a regular first team spot at Villa after his £3 million move last August, according to FansFC.com.
• Gareth Barry is top of Manchester City’s shopping list, and Villa are likely to be offered striker Dean Sturridge and midfielder Michael Johnson in exchange, according to Tribalfootball.com citing The Sun.
• Villa and Everton are being sounded out by Valencia after the Spanish club put their Portuguese defender Miguel up for sale.  The 29-year old is available for around £4 million, reports Mirror.co.uk.
• Villa are chasing Tottenham Hotspur’s  22-year-old midfielder, Tom Huddlestone, who has failed to achieve a regular first team place, with Martin O’Neill planning to make a £6 million move for him, reports FansFC.com citing the Daily Star.
• Anderlecht midfielder Mbark Boussofa is of interest to Villa, according to the Daily Star, reports Tribalfootball.com.
• Villa are interested in Wolfsburg’s £12 million striker Edin Dzeko, according to Tribalfootball.com.

• Marc Albrighton and Ciaran Clark have been named in the England under-20s squad to take on Italy on 31 March, according www.avfc.co.uk.
• Barry Bannan has been named in Scotland's under-21s squad for their forthcoming UEFA European U21 Championship qualifiers - two games against Albania on 28 March and 1 April, according to www.avfc.co.uk.
• Gareth Barry and Emile Heskey have both been selected in the England squad for the double header of games against Slovakia and Ukraine, reports www.avfc.co.uk.
• Craig Gardner and James Milner have both been selected in the England under-21 squad for the double header of friendlies against Norway and France., reports www.avfc.co.uk
• Nathan Delfouneso is in the England under-19 squad for the friendly game with Czech Republic, reports www.avfc.co.uk

Peace Cup

Villa have agreed to take part in summer pre-season tournament the Peace Cup, along with Real Madrid and Juventus.  The competition, which is being held in Andalucia, Spain, starts on 24 July.  The 12-club event, which begins with four groups, also includes European sides Ajax, Lyon, Porto and Seville.  Other teams who have confirmed their involvement are Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia, Seongnam of South Korea and Liga de Quito of Ecuador. [BBC.co.uk]

New deal for MON

The News of the World says Randy Lerner is determined to tie Martin O’Neill down on a three-year deal. O’Neill has been happy to work with a 12-month rolling contract and currently earns around £3 million per year at Villa.  But O'Neill has played down reports that he has held discussions regarding a new contract. O’Neill said: "I've not spoken to Randy in two-and-a-half years about a contract, nor have I had the need to do so.  "I don't know where the story came from. There's definitely nothing in it.  "I've never discussed a contract since the day I arrived and signed" reports Skysports.com.

Results

First Team

15 March 2009 – Premier League
Aston Villa    1    Tottenham Hotspur    2
Goalscorer: John Carew
Team: Friedel; Reo-Coker, Cuéllar, Knight (Carew 61), L. Young; Milner, Petrov, Barry, A. Young; Agbonlahor (Delfouneso 79), Heskey (C. Gardner 82).
Substitutes not used: Guzan, Davies, Harewood, Shorey.

22 March 2009 – Premier League
Liverpool    5    Aston Villa    0
Team: Friedel [sent off 64]; Reo-Coker (Guzan 65), Cuéllar, Davies, L. Young; Milner, Petrov, Barry, A. Young; Carew (C. Gardner 89), Heskey (Agbonlahor 58).
Substitutes not used: Delfouneso, Shorey, Salifou, Knight.

Reserves

10 March 2009 – Premier Reserve League South
Aston Villa    6    Portsmouth    1
Goalscorers: Shane Lowry, Jonathan Hogg (2), Eric Lichaj, Andreas Weimann, Gary Gardner
Team: Taylor; Lichaj, Clark, Lowry (Blythe 84), Shorey; Albrighton, Hogg, Hofbauer (G. Gardner 69), Bannan; Weimann (Collins 73), Delfouneso.
Substitutes not used: Parish, Roome.

17 March 2009 – Premier Reserve League South
West Ham United    0    Aston Villa    2
Goalscorers: Andreas Weimann, Dominik Hofbauer
Team: Parish; Roome, Lichaj, Clark, Lowry (Baker 61); Albrighton, Hogg, Salifou, Weimann (Hofbauer 65); Harewood, Delfouneso (Collins 90).
Substitute not used: G. Gardner.

Academy (Under 18)

14 March 2009 – Premier Academy League, Group B
Coventry City    0    Aston Villa    0
Team: Dau, Dyer, Roome, Baker, Roberts, Forrester, Blythe, G. Gardner, Hofbauer, Weimann (A. Stieber), Collins.
Substitutes not used: Siegrist, Poyser, R. Simmonds.

21 March 2009 – Premier Academy League, Group B
Aston Villa    4    Ipswich Town    2
Goalscorers: James Collins, Andras Stieber, Dominik Hofbauer, Andreas Weimann 

Team: Siegrist; Dyer, Blythe, Baker, Roberts; Forrester, Grocott, Hofbauer, A. Stieber (Poyser); Weimann (Berry), Collins (R. Simmonds).

Substitute not used: Dau.