Taylor: We deserved to win

Villa grabbed a last gasp victory with a deflected Thomas Hitzlsperger shot in the dying seconds, but Taylor said that they fully deserved victory.

"His shot may have been deflected and it may have come in injury-time but we deserved to win the game anyhow," he said

"If any team deserved that bit of good fortune given the way things have gone against us at times this season, then it was Aston Villa."

Taylor also declared that skipper Steve Staunton faces a club fine for his sending off minutes before Hitlsperger's late winner.

"Steve wears his heart on his sleeve. He plays that way," said the Villa boss.

"We spoke before the game about what our commitment had to be and that we had to win certain individual battles.

"But you couldn't win those if you get sent off and Steve apologised very much after the game.

"The fact that he has apologised means something obviously happened whereby the referee had had no alternative.

"He plays in a manner where everything really means something to him. I have a great regard for Steve but on this occasion the referee had no alternative but to send him off.

"There are automatic fines in place at this club for such things."he said.

West Brom Match Report

Taylor: We deserved to win

Last updated : 14 December 2002 By VillaMAD