Aston Villa 0 Sunderland 1: I know what is coming now

It would be easy for me to put this result down to Emile Heskey getting sent off, but that wasn't the reason and up until that moment he was my man of the match, I've actually already voted for him.

The goal came from a free kick, hitting the wall and landing at the feet of Phil Bardsley, who shot and scored his first ever Premier League goal, it wasn't from open play or a gap or a good piece of football, it was an opportunity taken.

But the game isn't going to be the talking point. The manager is going to be the talking point and I can't write that he needs more time and expect everyone to see my reasoning.

First time in seven years

We are in a place at the moment that isn't nice. Wolves beating Chelsea means we are eighteenth and I'm not using the word, as it is too early in the season to use the word, but if we ended up in this place, we'd be in a very bad place. So if anyone wants to say anything, who can stop them.

But the club have told me that the manager is going to be supported this month, so I don't expect Gerard Houllier to be sacked and I do hope he gets it right. For large portions of this game too, we were the better side and we were extremely unlucky not to go in at half time 1-0 up.

Something else the club told me
All at the Club working hard on January window and improving performances and results.

16 years

Emile Heskey was my man of the match tonight and I'm sticking by it, because I've already voted, but if I could take it back I would. You see, after 16 seasons as a professional, you should know better. He pushed a player in the face and he got a red card and he shouldn't be surprised.

Heskey should have known better. I do. You do. Almost everyone on the planet that follows football does.

The future is bright

They might have only got a few minutes tonight, and I'm leaving my post on this for now as I've got the rest of the week off and we're going skiing, but Albrighton and Bannan came on in the 98th minute, but they looked good. They're too good to be kept on the bench when you are chasing a game with 20 minutes left, they should have come on earlier. I'm leaving it at that, as that is the only positive from tonight.

Man of the match