Sport 06-11-2000 Merson Magic Takes Villa To Number Five who: Aston Villa what: Beat Everton 0-1 where: Goodison Park, LIVERPOOL when: Yesterday snippet: Paul Merson produced a magical winning goal in the dying moments of Aston Villa`s clash with Everton at Goodison Park yesterday. The on-form midfielder, who was denied a penalty in the first half when he was brought down by David Weir, "provided the only fireworks in an otherwise forgettable match," says Oliver Kay in The Times. "As a wretched match played in driving rain crawled into its final minute," says Ian Ross in The Guardian, "Paul Merson, an aristocrat amongst artisans, clipped the ball up and over the Everton goalkeeper Paul Gerrard from almost 35 yards and watched it drop into the net." "Even the Villa fans dared not celebrate for a few seconds," says The Mirror, "obviously believing that such audacity, such skill, could not possibly be anything but a mirage in a game this bad". "That goal lifted Villa into fifth place," notes The Star`s Matt D`Arcy, "which perhaps says more about the poor quality of the Premiership than it does about their right to occupy such an exalted position." [... more]

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