Villa’s spot of luck seals Euro ticket

MARTIN O’NEILL has suffered excruciating pain at the hands of officials this year but received a timely piece of fortune to ensure his burning ambition for the Champions League is still faintly flickering.

Villa’s spot of luck seals Euro ticket

After enduring misery in both Villa’s appearances at Wembley this year the Irishman will surely be adding Martin Atkinson to his Christmas card list after the referee’s blunder helped extend O’Neill’s personal hoodoo over old adversary Alex McLeish.

The two managers developed a fierce rivalry north of the border with Rangers and Celtic and were at it again yesterday as they bitterly disputed each other’s opinion on the controversial penalty that ultimately gave Villa the kiss of life.

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