Ali Benarbia magic does the trick for Man City

Manchester City 3 Aston Villa 1

With Keegan’s Manchester City side struggling to find a breakthrough after Dion Dublin pegged back Marc-Vivien Foe’s opener before the interval, Benarbia was brought off the bench to change the game.

And the 34-year-old completed his task to perfection, flying in to meet Nicolas Anelka’s cross with a perfectly executed diving header before setting up Foe for the strike which sealed a welcome 3-1 win and extended Villa’s unhappy record of failing to win an away game all season.

“Ali changed the game,” said Keegan. “Before he went on I said to him ‘give me a bit of magic’. He said ‘no magic, just a bad goal’. Well he got a very good goal.

Benarbia became an instant hero with the Maine Road faithful last season when his consistent brilliance inspired City to the Nationwide League championship.

He only arrived at City by accident when his agent turned up at Maine Road trying to tie up a deal with another player. Benarbia was supposed to be heading for Sunderland, but that transfer fell through, allowing Keegan to step in.

While Benarbia is certain to be included at Loftus Road, Aussie midfielder Danny Tiatto looks set to miss out with a hernia problem which could keep him sidelined for weeks.

For Villa boss Graham Taylor, it was another disappointing afternoon, and he could not take too much comfort from Dublin’s strike.

“That is the first time a forward has scored for us in an away game this season,” he mused.

“We have five or six strikers at the club and they have all had a run in the side at various times. We are creating chances, we just aren’t taking them.”

Graciously though Taylor admitted Benarbia’s contribution had been the most significant one.

“He was the major reason why we lost this game.”

MAN CITY: Schmeichel, Dunne, Howey, Distin, Wright-Phillips (Benarbia 64), Berkovic, Foe, Horlock, Tiatto (Jensen 46), Anelka, Goater (Huckerby 72).

ASTON VILLA: Enckelman, Samuel, Mellberg, Staunton, Barry, De la Cruz, Kinsella, Hitzlsperger (Leonhardsen 68), Hadji, Dublin, Vassell (Angel 63), Leonhardsen (Hendrie 89).

Referee: Mark Halsey (England).