Villa face battle of nerves as league title race hots up - SOCCER.
By Alan Baldwin
21 January 1990
Reuters News
Aston Villa fans, all too used to the strains of relegation soccer battles in recent years, are having to face a new unfamiliar source of stress - success.
Their club's 2-1 English league defeat of a strong Southampton on Saturday kept them level at the top of the division on 46 points, behind Liverpool on goal difference, with a game in hand.
Stretched nerves were evident as Villa overcame a 54th minute equaliser to take the day thanks to a 79th minute goal slotted calmly home by fullback Kevin Gage.
"That's what we're probably going to experience from now to the end of the season - very tight games where we're going to have to keep our nerve," said manager Graham Taylor.
"That's something our supporters haven't had to go through for perhaps 10 years, and its a nice experience," he said.
With Liverpool steaming 2-0 ahead at Crystal Palace and champions Arsenal pressing hard in third place on 42 points with a 1-0 defeat of Tottenham, Villa needed to win.
The huge cheer at the end of the game was evidence of the fans' relief at overcoming what may well prove to have been one of Villa's highest hurdles on the way to the title.
Taylor's role in the rejuvenation of a Villa that battled to stave off relegation last season, has been remarkable.
When he took over three seasons ago, he inherited a big city club fallen on hard times but with desperate ambitions to return to the days of 1981 when they last won the league title.
From being rank outsiders at the start of the season, they have edged aside Arsenal to become the London bookmakers' second favourites after Liverpool for the title.
With Southampton manager Chris Nicholl, a former Villa Park stalwart, Taylor was only a few months ago tipped as the manager most likely to be sacked at the start of the season.
Since then, both have established a record to be envied.
Villa have lost only once in their last 15 games while Southampton have been beaten only twice in their last 13.
Only Liverpool have more enviable goal scoring credentials than Villa and Welsh international Ian Rush - now well and truly back into his most prolific form - has been a major force.
His eighth minute goal against Crystal Palace, beaten 9-0 at Anfield last September, brought his tally to 18 this season and made him top scorer alongside Villa's David Platt.
