STEVE Lomas claimed the most important goal of his career to keep Manchester City's survival hopes alive as Aston Villa went down to only their second home defeat of 1996.

The Northern Irish midfielder was on the spot six yards out to turn the ball towards goal after big Niall Quinn had headed back Michael Brown's left-wing cross. And although Lomas' header took a huge deflection off Paul McGrath before ending in the back of the Villa net, there was no doubt that the flame-haired 22-year-old was taking the credit as he joined an impromptu party behind Mark Bosnich's goal.

That second-half show was necessary, for City's lackadaisical approach in the opening period was criminal. Villa had to take some of the blame for a shocking first 30 minutes.

Mark Draper, Tommy Johnson and occasionally Savo Milosevic were at least busy for Villa, Johnson volleying wide and Draper shooting over.

City created their two best chances in injury time. Then Kinkladze, capitalising on a rare Ugo Ehiogu error, burst from half way, only to fire into the Holte End.

Had Immel, reacting slowly, not got his hands up into his top right corner to keep out Milosevic’s bounding header, City might have been doomed.

While Bosnich joined the attack later on, City hung on.