With the incoming cash, Blackburn quickly move to secure Gaël Givet[7] to a permanent contract following his successful loan spell from Marseille in the second half of the prior season.

He was swiftly followed into Ewood Park by another free transfer, right-back Lars Jacobsen,[8] who had been released from Everton following two years plagued by injury, and Steven Nzonzi,[9] a central midfielder who joined from French club Amiens for an undisclosed fee.

Due to the arrival of two new strikers, Paul Gallagher was allowed to leave the club, joining Championship side Leicester City in order to play regular first-team football.

A reason behind allowing the move was that a ready replacement was already lined up, in the form of Pascal Chimbonda,[19] who joined on the same day as Warnock departed.

Young could have extended the lead himself before Villa conceded a penalty when Nigel Reo-Coker was adjudged to have brought down Steven Reid, but Brad Guzan saved from David Dunn.

Things got even bleaker for Rovers when El-Hadji Diouf was given a straight red card before the break when he recklessly brought down Habib Beye.

Blackburn's attempts to get back into the match were given an unexpected lift when Guzan dropped an inswinging corner to allow Nikola Kalinić to score.

Villa suddenly looked perturbed and Kalinić could have levelled matters after being sent clear by substitute Morten Gamst Pedersen, but Villa restored their authority when Reo-Coker had a shot turned round the post and, in the 90th minute, Gaël Givet brought down John Carew in the box with the Norwegian sending Rovers keeper Jason Brown the wrong way from the spot to send Blackburn crashing out at the first hurdle.

Two minutes after the break, Rovers doubled their lead when Keith Andrews crossed the ball for David Hoilett to score his first goal for the club with a diving header.

It proved not to be for Gillingham as Blackburn's progress into the next round was sealed 4 minutes later when Morten Gamst Pedersen scored direct from a corner on the right hand side.

[21] Both teams created a few chances in an opening period where Forest looked more than a match for their Premiership rivals, although it was Blackburn who took the lead in the 37th minute when Benni McCarthy's cross-cum-shot-cum-free kick bypassed everyone in the box and nestled in the far corner.

Sam Allardyce opted to make seven changes from the team beaten at Chelsea and was swiftly rewarded when Morten Gamst Pedersen rifled home a free kick in the fourth minute.

Just before half-time Peterborough were reduced to ten men when goalkeeper Joe Lewis was sent off when he brought down Pedersen after a defensive header had fallen short.

The game was effectively ended as a contest in the 57th minute when Míchel Salgado collected Brett Emerton's pass and blasted in his first goal in English football.

Even so, Salomon Kalou, Mikel John Obi, Joe Cole, Michael Ballack and Yuri Zhirkov all either forced regulation saves from Paul Robinson or missed the target before the break.

Carlo Ancelotti made a bold triple substitution at half-time, introducing Jeffrey Bruma, Gaël Kakuta and Didier Drogba.

It looked like a good decision as, after being on the pitch for just three minutes, Drogba climbed above Ryan Nelsen to head home Florent Malouda's cross.

Chelsea were reduced to ten men when Kalou limped off; due to the triple change at half-time, they were unable to bring on a replacement.