BE prepared for a shock Villa appearance at Wembley this season by way of the Zenith Data Systems Cup.

It might sound an unlikely vehicle for a club with such a great tradition and history of Cup fighting. But even Ron Atkinson had to concede after this win that anything was possible.

In the same way that Birmingham City gained enormous credibility in the Leyland Daf Cup last season, so could their big City rivals at Villa achieve another piece of Wembley immortality.

Terry Butcher's 59th minute sending off for a professional foul on lan Olney scarcely affected the outcome of a contest that Villa always controlled.

After Olney had headed Villa in front after 16 minutes from Alan McLoughlin's right wing cross, the issue was seldom in doubt.

Coventry, who had defeated their Midlands rivals 1-0 in the League three weeks earlier, just never functioned as a team on a disappointing night for them.

Paul McGrath, emphasised the difference between the two old rivals. Villa were always on top, and ran out clear winners with skipper Kevin Richardson picking out Yorke for the second goal after 72 minutes.

Now Villa go into the hat again in a competition they ignored last season while they were enjoying their brief spell in Europe.

But Atkinson's main objective is still to finish high enough In the League to clinch a place back in Europe again next season.

If it means that they might also appear at Wembley in what might be regarded as a 'Micky Mouse' Cup, that will not deflect from the target.

"We got our tactics wrong for this game," confessed assistant manager Mick Mills afterwards.

And having gone behind the Sky Blues struggled desperately to make any impact.

Villa's fans gave player-manager Butcher, playing his first game in nine months, the 'hee-haw' donkey chant as he struggled to get to grips with the pace of Dwight Yorke and Tony Daley and the deceptive control of Olney.

For Villa, former Coventry goalkeeper Les Sealey had an easy time against a lightweight attack.