A superb goal from England midfielder James Milner in the 23rd minute gave Aston Villa the advantage going into the Carling Cup semi-final second leg on their own patch next Wednesday.

Blackburn responded well but summer signing Nikola Kalinic was twice denied by the post while Steven Nzonzi sent a close range header over the bar.

It means they have now gone nine games without a win since beating Chelsea in the quarter-final and Allardyce is exasperated.

He said: "I don't know what is up with us at the moment. We don't seem to be getting the rub of the green. I am just wondering what I have done in life to deserve such bad luck.

"But we need to keep believing and keep creating chances. It will eventually go our way, I am sure of that. Hopefully we can take encouragement from our second half performance.

"We were nervous in the first half and the quality of the opposition drove us back. We gave away a very poor goal.

"Villa's strength is playing on the break. In the space of a few seconds they scored. We never took up the right positions and paid the ultimate price.

"That made us more nervous and edgy. We put that right in the dressing room at half-time and deserved to pull level. But that's football for you at this level."

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill praised Milner after his crucial goal, his fifth in 11 games.

Milner galloped over the halfway line, released Stewart Downing and then got on the end of his cross to complete an exceptional move.

O'Neill said: "It was a great goal by a great player. He is showing splendid form. He has settled in so comfortably in central midfield. It is as if he has been there all his career.

"Sometimes it is very difficult if you are trying to make goals from wide. But he has that licence now he is inside and James is really enjoying himself.

"Great midfield players are able to carry the ball distances and are able to finish it off. That's what James did.

"I think he felt himself there was goals in his game and he was capable of doing that.

"It was great interplay with Stewart Downing. Downing still had a lot to do before producing a great cross. James follows it on the ball and puts it in the net.

"It was a big goal for us at the time and we proceeded to play really well after that. But the tie is still in the balance as we know Blackburn will come back strongly."