COLIN CLARKE was hero and villain for QPR at Loftus Road last night. The Northern Ireland international striker scored with a fine back-header from Andy Sinton's 50th minute cross to put Villa's title hopes under pressure. But, then, the big forward handled the ball in the 75th minute to give away the free kick from which Villa grabbed a vital point. And Clarke was nowhere to be seen as Denmark's Kent Nielsen the man he was supposed to be marking came in at the far post to crash home the equaliser from the free.

The point means that Villa are now three points ahead of title rivals Liverpool but the Anfield side have two games in hand. Villa could so easily have lost a pulsating match as Don Howe's exciting Rangers side created a string of chances. Tony Cascarino and his teammates produced little up front and, when they did, they found Rangers' goalkeeper David Seaman in brilliant form. Seaman, who was being watched yet again by Arsenal manager George Graham, brilliantly turned away lan Ormondroyd's th minute header and then saved with his body from the same player's angled shot.