Ashley Young scored twice in two minutes as Villa came from behind to beat Blackburn and hand new boss Gerard Houllier victory in his first game in charge.

Gael Givet had put Rovers ahead with a brilliant first-half volley in the Carling Cup third-round clash before the introduction of Emile Heskey, who played under Houllier at Liverpool, sparked a stirring second-half fightback.

Until Heskey’s introduction the claret and blues had been poor in front of a disappointing Villa Park crowd of just 18,753, but once the game had been turned on its head the Holte End were chanting their new manager’s name.

Houllier made eight changes from the side which drew with Bolton on Saturday and switched to a 4-3-3 formation, which saw Ashley Young and Gabby Agbonlahor flank John Carew.

But, despite the change in personnel, the performance seemed to pick up where it left off from the weekend with Villa looking disjointed and short on ideas.

Young was the pick of the forward players and it was he who had the game’s first opportunity, turning Morten Gamst Pedersen before firing straight at Rovers goalkeeper Mark Bunn from 25 yards.

Villa suffered a blow when Agbonlahor limped off after 32 minutes and just two minutes later they were behind, when Givet let fly from the edge of the area with a superb volley.

They could count themselves not to go two behind when goalkeeper Brad Guzan turned away a fine curling effort from Morten Gamst Pedersen.

Carew was replaced for Heskey, whom Houllier signed from Leicester for £11million a decade ago, on 58 minutes and within 60 seconds of his introduction Villa were level.

Captain-for-the-night Nigel Reo-Coker found Young, who slipped it straight down the left channel to Heskey and the striker ruthlessly drilled a diagonal shot inside the right post with his very first touch.

Houllier’s men took the lead on 75 minutes, when Delfouneso’s cross was met with a fine-near post header from Young.

Just two minutes later, the England star made sure, turning in a pinpoint centre from Heskey to the back post.