Hands up if you saw that result coming. Hey. You there are the back… put your hand down, you little fibber!

Well, okay, Arsenal have really gone off the boil as this season has lumbered to its conclusion, but I can’t honestly claim to have expected a win today. A draw perhaps. I’d have been delighted with the point that would have finally guaranteed our Premier League survival regardless of other results. Three is exceptionally welcome.

And we can thank Darren Bent. He took the chances when they came perfectly. That’s what we paid the big money for. He was faultless when the opportunity came.

Let’s be honest, we might reserve at least a subtle head nod in the direction of the referee today as well. There was a good shout for a penalty turned away and a second half goal disallowed for mysterious reasons, but don’t waste any time being concerned about it, those are the kind of breaks that have evaded for much of the season.

It was an excellent team performance, especially from a defensive perspective during the opening 20 or 30 minutes when the game was really won. Ashley Young and Stewart Downing stuck to their less offensive tasks very well. Fabian Delph provided the ingredient we’ve missed a lot in the middle, playing just ahead of Reo-Coker and Petrov.

The back line kept their concentration for the most part and the work ethic was superb. Kyle Walker stood out again keeping Arshavin quiet, but they were all very good. Mostly. There were a couple of exceptions, as there are in every game, but we got away with them today.

Brad Friedel was quite superb again today. He may well be about to get a year extension at Villa Park and that can’t be a bad thing on today’s showing.

Michael Bradley got a run out in place of Petrov for the final ten minutes and actually looked pretty lively in a such a brief cameo. Heskey replaced Delph, pushing Ash inside to shore up the left flank during a nervous finish which inevitably featured conceding a late goal just beforehand.

I suspect there were no shortage of Villa fans expecting another goal to be conceded during injury time, but I, for one, was reasonably calm. Reasonably. It just didn’t seem likely to me, Arsenal just weren’t that driven.

And so it finished. The other results today were extremely interesting. West Ham have now been relegated after seeing a two goal lead cancelled out and then conceding a third in injury time at Wigan. Fulham won at St Andrews and next Sunday is now a five way battle to avoid two relegation spots.

And we’re not involved!

Finally. We can breathe a sigh of certain relief and enjoy the drama below us. Perhaps we’ll dispatch our own vultures to circle the east end of London, I know of a certain German midfielder there who professed a willingness to return to Birmingham before. I’m just saying.

Okay. I don’t about you, wherever you may be in the world, but where I am it’s beer o’clock!

Well done today boys, can’t fault your effort whatsoever and you finally got what you deserved.

UTV