Villa fans furious after bore draw

John Gregory may have been installed as the manager of another club earlier in the day but he still cast a massive shadow over Villa Park last night.

The trials and tribulations of his shock departure less than a week ago and rapid return to management at Derby had its inevitable impact on Aston Villa. The pre-match demonstration outside the ground by around 1,000 fans against chairman Doug Ellis over Gregory's resignation was followed by further protests inside the stadium where the Holte End was festooned with anti-Ellis banners.

There were chants for the 78-year-old chairman to quit as he sat impassively in his directors' box seat which he had occupied just a few moments after the kick-off against Everton to avoid the worst of the vitriol.

Against such a back drop of discontent and disillusionment Villa found it difficult to get into any cohesive stride.

Villa players added to the sombre mood by wearing black armbands as a mark of respect to former team-mate Colin Cooper who tragically lost his young son over the weekend. Skipper Paul Merson tried to rally his players out of their lethargy and help them to get back on course for European qualification. Merson laid on the early left-wing cross from which Darius Vassell headed just wide at the far post. Duncan Ferguson and Danny Cadamarteri were posing problems but Villa's centre-backs Olof Mellberg and Steve Staunton were able to keep them at bay. The visitors' best move came when Cadamarteri struck a fine right-wing cross which Ferguson headed powerfully at the far post - only for Peter Enckelman to make a fine save.

Merson provided a glorious moment that lifted the game from its slumber on 57 minutes. He robbed Alex Cleland on the halfway line before embarking on a wonderful surging run that took him past two defenders and towards the edge of the penalty area from which he unleashed a tremendous shot that crashed against the bar.