Villa have now had five matches abandoned or cancelled since they last played on 

22 December 1962 Villa v Manchester City, abandoned after 48 minutes due to fog;  

26 December 1962 Villa v Liverpool, Called off due to frozen pitch; 

29 December 1962 Liverpool v Villa, Called off due to frozen pitch; 

5 January 1963 Bristol City v Villa, Called off due to snow; 

12 January 1963 Blackpool v Villa, Called off due to snow.

Villa face Sunderland at Roker Park in frozen conditions as they compete their much delayed League Cup Semi Final first leg.

Villa, in difficult conditions, win through but not before Sunderland suffer losing their goalkeeper to injury ahead of Derek Dougan putting Villa 3-1 up ahead of the second leg.

Joe Mercer's Villa play for the first time in a month as they continue their superb form to take a commanding lead in the League Cup semi final at Roker Park setting Villa up in pole position for their second League Cup Final in three seasons after winning the inaugural competition in 1960-61. 

As a result Villa are now nine unbeaten with five wins and have lost just twice in their last seventeen.