Newcastle fight out draw at Villa

It was left to Paul Merson to put the current predictability of the Premiership into its proper focus. After Aston Villa and Newcastle had fought out the 1-1 draw at Villa Park which keeps both clubs in the mid-table positions they will most likely end up in come May, the forthright midfielder dared to say what so many now feel. 'When I was at Arsenal, we had to win things. There, everybody expects to win championships. Here, you get out of bed and go to work in the morning and the highest you aim for is third - a Champions League place,' said Merson. 'You never hear talk of championships and that's a shame.' If clubs like Villa no longer look to win the title - even on the days they look at the world through rose-tinted glasses - what hope is there for the Coventrys, Sunderlands and Derbys of English football.

Oh, for the days when many of the then 22 clubs in the old First Division began the season believing that first place was possible. That was more than 20 years ago, of course. Now, with the domestic dominance of Manchester United and the era of the 'Super Club', it is hard to see past a tiny elite as genuine title contenders in the next few years. When, as Merson hinted, the players begin to believe it too, football is in trouble. We must be thankful, therefore, for the only free thinkers seemingly left in the game - the fans. One-eyed, partisan and prejudiced they may be, yet their passion and optimism could be the only defence the Premiership has against the onset of boredom. At Villa Park, the pound signs were held up again. 'Stick your hands in your pockets and stump up money for players,' they told Villa chairman Doug Ellis. 'Just give us a striker and we'll be up there challenging United and Arsenal,' they were telling themselves.

One way to appease the fans would be to buy Benni McCarthy. The Celta Vigo striker is top of manager John Gregory's wanted list and he is anxious to join Villa.

The deal, however, is deadlocked over the Spanish club's refusal to lower their £12million asking price for the 22-year-old South African international.

'Time is running out,' warned McCarthy's agent Rob Moore. 'Benni feels that this time next week will either see the deal done or killed off for good.' In Merson, the Villa supporters have an ally on the pitch, a man whose will to win, ambition and belief matches their own. The 32-year-old said: 'In football you have to take risks. Leeds have just spent £18m on a player. Maybe that's the difference,' he said. 'Never doubt John Gregory, though,' he added. 'The gaffer wants to win badly. When he doesn't win, he doesn't like it - and that's the way it should be.' Gregory didn't like it much on Saturday and he sent first-team coach Steve Harrison to the Press conference and opted for an early exit. So early, in fact, that he was forced to queue behind the coaches leaving Villa Park, his car radio mulling over how his team had conceded a late equaliser for the second week in a row.

It had taken Villa less than four minutes to take the lead when, after Lee Hendrie's shot had been charged down by Shay Given's face, David Ginola crossed for Dion Dublin to head home. Ginola, in only his fifth start since his summer arrival, impressed as the game wore on and by the second half the expectancy grew every time he received the ball, and the feints, jinks, back-heels and soft shoe shuffles were more readily performed. Yet, Villa were still carved open on three occasions. Chile midfielder Clarence Acuna sliced one shot against a post and Argentina striker Daniel Cordone headed tamely wide before Peru winger Nolberto Solano scooped a bouncing ball over David James for an equaliser eight minutes from time. A case of it taking three South Americans to do what Alan Shearer finds so natural.