Robbie Keane was handed his first start for his new club today and the Irish striker reward manager Alex McCleish's faith in him by scoring a brace to give Aston Villa a 3-2 win in an exciting West Midlands Derby. Darren Bent opened the scoring for Aston Villa from the penalty spot in the 11th minute. Wolverhampton Wanderers weren't down for long though as goals from Michael Kightly and David Edwards put them up 2-1 at the break.
Wolverhampton Wanders Vs. Aston Villa, 2012 Premier League: Robbie Keane Defeats One Of His Boyhood Clubs
Robbie Keane’s brace lead Aston Villa over 10-man Wolverhampton Wanderers in an exciting West Midlands Derby.
Things couldn't have gone much worse in the second half for Wolves. Shortly after Keane netted an equalizer for the Villans, on-loan Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong had to be stretchered off the pitch with an apparent head injury. Frimpong sustained the injury when he attempted to dive to meet a cross, but instead meet Stiliyan Petrov's leg. Karl Henry further compounded things when he was sent off in the 74th minute for a "Beckham-esque" stamp on Marc Albrighton. Playing against 10 men, Villa picked up the pressure and Robbie Keane picked up Roger Johnson's header and lashed the ball of the crossbar and into the net from 25 yards out.
Wolves certainly didn’t look like the team that drew with Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane last weekend and with the injury to Frimpong and the suspension of Henry things could be tough in the coming weeks for Mick McCarthy. Meanwhile, McCleish has to feel vindicated about the loan signing of Keane who looked like he may still have some magic left in his legs.
For more on the Villains, visit Aston Villa blog 7500 to Holte.
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