CarlingNet - No 1 for Match Reports

Aston Villa v Arsenal 07/09/96 3.00

Aston Villa             (1) 2 Arsenal                 (0) 2 FT
Milosevic 39,63               Merson 70
                              Linighan 90

Arsenal hit back from a two goal deficit for the second time in four days as Andy Linighan's dramatic injury time equaliser stopped Villa from climbing to the top of the Premiership.

Linighan, always remembered for his late goal which won the 1993 FA Cup final replay against Sheffield Wednesday, struck again with a header which went in off a post from Paul Merson's corner.

His goal completed the fightback which had been triggered when Merson netted with a 70th minute header.

Until then Villa had been cruising thanks to a two goal salvo by Villa's Serbian striker Savo Milosevic.

It appeared to be all over when Milosevic, in only his second start of the season, grabbed his second goal of the game in the 63rd minute but the Gunners refused to lie down and salvaged a well deserved point amid scenes of mayhem at the finish.

Arsenal were stunned by two first half decisions by new Premiership referee Michael Riley who ruled that a Merson shot did not cross the line after bouncing down from the underside of the bar in the 14th minute.

Then Milosevic walzed home Villa's opening goal six minutes from the break from a suspiciously offside position.

Arsenal had Ian Wright, David Platt, Steve Morrow and substitute John Hartson all booked in a stormy encounter.

At the finish the Villa fans were howling at the referee for adding on so much stoppage time.

Merson, who inspired their fightback against Chelsea in midweek, was again Arsenal's key man.

He thought he had scored the opening goal when sticking out a foot to send Ian Wright's cross crashing against the underside of the bar.

But despite Arsenal's protests referee Riley waved play on and Villa took control with Andy Townsend and the busy Sasa Curcic both forcing goalkeeper John Lukic to make desperate saves.

Milosevic, was a constant threat with his solo dashes but when he ran through on to Mark Draper's pass to beat Lukic in the 39th minute the Arsenal players thought he was offside and stood still.

And when the Serbian star struck again after Dwight Yorke's shot came back off Lukic's knees just after the hour, Arsenal looked dead and buried.

But caretaker manager Stewart Houston sent on substitute John Hartson, who had made way for Ian Wright's first start of the season, and from that moment the Villa goal was under siege.

Merson headed home after Dennis Bergkamp's shot was deflected and looped up towards the far post with 20 minutes to go. And Arsenal built up one-way traffic in the time that remained with Linighan finally prospering with a header after Ray Parlour helped on Merson's corner deep into injury time.

Villa took the defeat badly because a 2-0 win would have put them top of the Premiership and scuffles broke out on the pitch at the end with referee Riley booking Steve Staunton and Curcic to take his yellow card tally to six.