*Keane adds to Gregory’s agony*

So having spent more than £35m on players at Aston Villa, John Gregory’s refusal to splash out an extra £1m might have cost him his job.

Offered the chance to buy Robbie Keane from Wolves in August, Villa’s manager decided the Republic of Ireland striker was worth no more than £5m. Coventry City took him for £6m. Last night Keane severely tightened the noose around Gregory’s neck.

Not content with setting up the opening goal for Cedric Roussel, Keane poached the winner in the 66th minute and was a constant threat. The defeat means Villa have taken only two points from a possible 21 and leaves them 13th in the Premiership: unlucky for some. “Sacked in the morning,” chimed Coventry’s delirious fans.

“The script was already written,” Gregory said. “I’ve no regrets about not signing [Keane]. He’s done well for Coventry but I don’t know if he would have done quite as well at Villa.

“Of course I thought he was a good player. Everyone I talked to, who has worked with him, told me that. But I’ll withhold my judgment until I see how he does for the rest of the year.” Seven goals in 12 Coventry games is not a bad start.

But then Gregory’s time at Villa Park hardly began badly either and look at the scale of his troubles now. When he took over from Brian Little in February 1998 Villa were relegation candidates yet he hauled them into Europe. At the turn of this year they were top of the Premiership and when Glenn Hoddle lost his job as England manager Gregory was touted as a natural successor.

The signs now, though, are that Villa and Gregory have hit an irreversible slide. From 33 Premiership games this season Villa have won only nine times, nigh on relegation form. This morning they lie below Coventry, traditionally their local inferiors. Rarely can Doug Ellis have seemed deadlier.

The Villa chairman can at least assume Gregory will not jump. “I’m still strong,” the manager insisted. “I just hope the players are as strong as I am. I couldn’t fault them for effort and enthusiasm. We just made two mistakes and were punished for them.

“We have an even bigger game [against Everton] on Saturday. We need to be on the right side of the table or we will end up in a relegation fight.”

Hardly good enough for a manager who admits he must take the team into Europe to stand a chance of keeping his job.

Without doubt fortune did not favour him last night. Shortly before Roussel socred, Julian Joachim had a strong case for a penalty turned down when he was challenged by Paul Williams and there was a hint of offside about Keane’s goal.

But Coventry deserved their win. Measured against the speed and skill of Keane and the artistry of Youssef Chippo, Villa looked decidedly one-paced.

When they fell behind in the 10th minute, the Moroccan and Irishman played a key role. Fed by Chippo on the left flank, Keane beat mark Delaney and crossed for Roussel to head powerfully home. It was the tall striker’s first goal since joining on loan from the Belgian club Ghent.

By the time Dion Dublin headed an equaliser against his former club from Steve Stone’s corner, David James had saved spectacularly from Chippo and diverted a Keane effort against a post with his chest.

But there was to be no denying Keane. Chippo broke down the left and crossed for the teenager to slot in from close range. Gregory must have known it was coming. The worry for him is what might come next.