WHAT more bizarre shapes can the FA Carling Premiership table assume?

Yesterday morning, Aston Villa and Arsenal were deeply worried about their future.

Teams have been going up and down like lifts in an office block at lunchtime.

Aston Villa are now sixteenth and looking distinctly miserable; Arsenal, at tenth. are ten times happier than before.

And, After half an hour, a single minute settled the game, and with it all of Arsenal's nerves.

Once again, Wright came to Arsenal's rescue. His incisive pass allowed Merson to slide in a short cross that Hartson tapped in without trouble.

Seconds later, Wright, picking up the ball at speed in the centre circle, ran at and then through the Villa defence. Blistering pace, fine control, extraordinary confidence: goal. And Arsenal it seems even then were quite safe.

In the second half Bould yanked back Taylor and Saunders took the penalty. Seamen saved a hard, low and accurate shot with his left hand. The setback was more than Villa could bear.

Wright was substituted with 15 minutes to go but not before he scored his 28th. It came from a penalty after McGrath tripped him up. The conversion was as nicely judged as the tumble.

Arsenal’s fourth goal was simply a matter of dancing on the grave. Merson fed Hartson through a Villa defence that was now mixing ineptitude and despair in equal portions. Hartson helped himself to his second as calmly as he had his first.