Zoltan Gera today revealed how the “perfect combination” of Albion and head coach Roy Hodgson lured him back to the Hawthorns.

Graham Taylor today backed Steve McClaren for the Villa hotseat and ruled Mark Hughes out of the running.

Villa will not rush to appoint a new manager as they cooled their interest in Mark Hughes who had been strongly linked with the vacancy after he quit Fulham.

Photos from the managerial career of Mark Hughes, who is being touted as the leading candidate to replace Gerard Houllier as Aston Villa manager.

Villa are today attempting to conclude the financial terms of Gerard Houllier’s departure as Fulham boss Mark Hughes emerged as the leading name to replace him as manager.

Wolves columnist John Lalley saw the ugly side of Fulham as the row between the two sides erupted again on the pitch in a high-stake game at Molineux.

Albion boss Roberto Di Matteo has hit out at the officials at Fulham for failing to punish a tackle that added Marek Cech to the Hawthorns injury list.

Villa were today sweating on the outcome of tests on Nigel Reo-Coker after he became the seventh player struck down by their injury curse.

Albion boss Roberto Di Matteo plans to have the last word when he meets Fulham manager Mark Hughes – after revealing the pair began their friendship in silence.

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has pledged his team would ‘carry on as they were’ – even if it costs them more damaging headlines.