It took Gordon Strachan a good hour to make it to the post match press conference – he needed that long to come up with an explanation for another defeat.

Not that he didn’t know the reasons, they were perhaps plain enough, but he was keen not to repeat himself. With this run of form that must be proving difficult.

This was, according to the manager, not as bad as the performance against Leeds when the Sky Blues were truly wretched but it was very barren in terms of creation and worryingly weak defensively.

Not surprisingly Strachan made five changes to that Elland Road line-up. He was able to recall Robbie Keane, Moustapha Hadji, Steve Froggatt, Richard Shaw and Tomas Gustafsson, while Gary Breen was left out of the 16 altogether.

Villa, unbeaten in 2000 and no doubt keen to avenge that Highfield Road defeat, had Benito Carbone and George Boateng back from suspension, and played with the level of confidence expected of a team on the rise.

They should have scored almost straight from the off when Alan Wright crossed into the City area finding Ugo Ehiogu totally unguarded at the far post. The only reason the Sky Blues escaped was a dreadfully poor touch from the England centre half.

The first half largely belonged to Paul Merson. The England man might be flawed off the pitch, but on it he is in the best form of his career. His runs from wide positions created space which Carbone and Julian Joachim should have exploited.

The reason they failed was down to poor finishing and some fine last ditch defending from Colin Hendry. The big Scot may still be ring rusty after his long lay-off north of the border but the old steel still shone brightly even if those around him appeared rather tarnished.

City conceded 10 first half corners but the longer Villa went without scoring the more Coventry managed to find a foothold. They should, against the run of play, have taken the lead when John Eustace picked out Keane in the box, but the young Irishman’s aim was off target.

His partner Cedric Roussel managed to force a save out of Peter Enckelman just a minute later but Villa, for whom Boateng went close, were firmly in charge.

It was just looking as if City would make it to the break on level terms, allowing Strachan time to try and work some much needed magic during the interval. It didn’t happen.

Four minutes into injury time, Merson swung in a free kick and Ehiogu met the ball full on to power a header past Hedman.

Keane failed to re-appear for the second half suffering a reoccurrence of his knee injury and that reduced City’s threat still further.

The second half was even scrappier than the first and again Villa – with Joachim particularly guilty – wasted a host of chances. That again brought on the nerves and they ended the game protecting their lead.

Noel Whelan, on for Keane, had the chance to equalise but shot over. It was totally fitting.