DEAN SAUNDERS missed the penalty last night that finally gave Brian Horton a break. The Manchester City manager, who is fighting to save his job, was handed a lifeline by the Aston Villa striker with just nine minutes of last night's snow fight.

Horton could only watch helplessly as City's defiant rearguard action looked like caving in when Richard Edghill hauled back the Welsh hitman just inside the box. But Saunders, who had only replaced Guy Whittingham nine minutes earlier, moved forward to smash the ball at least a yard wide of Tony Coton's right-hand post to allow Manchester City to escape with a precious point.

The crisis-hit Maine Road side now creep out of the bottom three and above Oldham on goal difference, so that dreadful clanger from Saunders could yet prove to be the turning point as City scramble to fight their way out of the Premiership's desperation alley.

City even survived the second half loss of Terry Phelan, who limped off with what looked like a pulled hamstring, but happy Horton revealed later Terry's injury is nothing like serious as we first thought.

Saunders' miss may also have been the result of a little gamesmanship from Steve McMahon, who wandered into the box then out again as the Villa striker prepared to shoot.

Villa manager Ron Atkinson said: "We played some quality football despite the poor conditions and deserved to win. "McMahon's delaying tactics when Dean Saunders was preparing to take his penalty were a touch of gamesmanship, but I also thought that Deano lost his footing as he ran up to strike the ball."