VILLA launched the Year of the European without the slightest hint that they will break down any barriers in the next few months.

Ron Atkinson's men journeyed to Norwich by air, and then did precisely nothing to indicate they will require their passports.

Three consecutive away defeats, at Oldham, Sheffield United and now Norwich, provide a recipe for mid table mediocrity rather than the top four place which Villa covet.

At Carrow Road, quite simply, they were both lethargic and unimaginative against a side who had taken just one point from their five previous games.

When Kevin Richardson released a magnificent pass from the halfway line on 74 minutes, you wouldn't have bet on 31-year-old Cyrille Regis outstripping Norwich's young substitute John Polston.

But Villa's veteran used all his power and experience to shake off his marker to fire home a right-foot shot from the edge of the penalty area.

That exquisite goal, Regis's seventh of the season, cancelled out the penalty which put Norwich ahead.

Rob Newman's through-ball had not only caught Villa on the wrong foot, it was also too quick for the linesman who failed to notice Rob Ullathorne in a blatantly offside position. Sadly for the visitors, referee John Martin spotted Chris Price’s subsequent trip on Norwich’s highly-rated midfielder, and pointed to the spot.

Even then, justice appeared to have been done when Les Sealey dived to his left to push aside Robert Fleck's penalty. But Dariusz Kubicki was penalised for encroachment, and Fleck scored his second attempt.