Darius Vassell staked his claim for a starting place in Sven-Goran Eriksson's England team against Sweden with a goal for Aston Villa in a 2-1 win which reawakened his side's European ambitions.

Renewed speculation over his future as England manager did not keep Eriksson from witnessing a livewire display from Vassell which may have earned him the chance to replace the injured Michael Owen on Wednesday.

Vassell equalised Carlton Cole's early opener with a typical poacher's strike, his ninth of the season, and JLloyd Samuel hit a second-half winner before Claus Jensen missed a stoppage-time penalty for the Addicks.

Newcastle and Liverpool climbed above Charlton after Alan Curbishley's side lost at St James' Park last weekend, and Villa and Birmingham leapfrogged them after this result, putting a huge dent in their own European ambitions.

Top scorer Jason Euell returned for the home side after an absence of three matches with a knee injury but Hermann Hreidarsson failed a late fitness test on his hamstring injury.

Gavin McCann was back in Aston Villa's starting line-up for the first time in two months. McCann served a five-match ban and then damaged an ankle in training.

Nolberto Solano failed to make the squad because of a hamstring injury, but Gareth Barry returned after a recent illness. Ronny Johnsen replaced Liam Ridgewell in defence.

A grim-faced Eriksson took his place in the stands at The Valley before kick-off with an army of photographers lined up pitchside to capture the moment.

And the main reason for his visit was soon into the action, beginning the move which culminated in Barry forcing Charlton goalkeeper Dean Kiely into a fine diving save from 25 yards.

Juan Pablo Angel then hit the post with a header from Thomas Hitzlsperger's cross before the Addicks grabbed the lead with their first real foray forward. Carlton Cole rose highest to head home Paolo Di Canio's corner for his fourth goal of the season.

Birmingham's win over Leeds earlier in the day meant Charlton started the game having slipped to seventh in the table, but they were clearly eager to make up lost ground.

Cole's eighth-minute opener was quickly followed by a chance for Matt Holland, who played a neat one-two with Jensen before hitting the far post with a low drive.

Luke Young also sent a shot just wide of the upright, but he was at fault when Villa nicked an equaliser in the 24th minute. Young cleared Lee Hendrie's wicked cross straight to Barry, and then deflected his subsequent shot straight to the feet of Vassell, who made no mistake from close range.

Villa almost took the lead when Vassell fed Hendrie in the penalty area and he turned Paul Konchesky to hit a first-time shot which Kiely did well to tip over the crossbar.

Villa were threatening a goal and it came through Samuel in the 55th minute when Barry played him into space with a neat through ball which split the Charlton defence.

Samuel slotted home right-footed and low from close range to give the visitors a deserved lead, but they almost self-destructed moments later.

Radostin Kishishev fired a shot goalwards which Thomas Sorensen could only parry, and the ball hit Olof Mellberg before deflecting only narrowly wide.

McCann then hit the crossbar at the other end with a header from Hendrie's corner as the game opened out.

Young had to block well from Barry when the Villa man found himself clean through on the overlap, but Matt Holland did test Sorensen's hands from distance.

And Charlton had a glorious chance to grab a priceless point when Mellberg tripped substitute Jonatan Johansson in injury time only for Jensen to send the penalty high over the crossbar.

Teams:

Charlton: Kiely, Young, Fortune, Perry, Konchesky, Kishishev (Johansson 69), Holland, Euell (Powell 79), Jensen, Cole, Di Canio (Bartlett 69).

Subs Not Used: Royce, Turner.

Booked: Konchesky.

Goals: Cole 8.

Aston Villa: Sorensen, De la Cruz, Mellberg, Johnsen, Samuel, Hendrie, Hitzlsperger, McCann, Barry (Ridgewell 85), Angel, Vassell (Luke Moore 89).

Subs Not Used: Postma, Dublin, Crouch.

Booked: Hendrie.

Goals: Vassell 24, Samuel 54.

Att: 26,250

Ref: B Knight (Kent).