TOMMY JOHNSON could easily have been lining up against Spurs on Saturday.s. But having turned down a £2 million midweek move back to his old club Derby, he came off the bench to keep Aston Villa's European credentials intact with the kind of clinical finish the game had hitherto been lacking. His first touch in bringing down Alan Wright's long ball was perfect, and the angled finish gave Tim Flowers no chance.

Villa's manager Brian Little said: "I didn't especially want to sell him, I like the lad, we have a very strange player manager relationship, we get on very well. But he's not a regular first team player, so when an opportunity comes along it would be hard for me to deny him that chance. But he chose to stay and I'm pleased to still have him here."

Johnson's finishing was the missing ingredient to Villa's superior approach play in a game which never really flowed. When Dwight Yorke stole in late on to punish Colin Hendry's dreadful attempted back pass and score his 15th premiership goal, the points were deservedly secured.

The win takes Villa back up to fifth spot, but the second defeat in a row for Blackburn will have them looking over their shoulders again. Still, despite only being sixpoints clear of danger, they don't seem likely contenders for the drop and the £50,000 caretaker boss Tony Parkes is said to be on for handing a Premiership baton to Roy Hodgson looks secure enough should the mini hiccup be averted. Having said that, they still have to face Arsenal and Manchester United.

Their cause wasn't helped with the loss of both main strikers. Chris Sutton was taken to hospital with concussion after a clash of heads with Ugo Ehiogu early on and his replacement, Per Pedersen, lasted barely an hour before limping.

Mark Bosnich was not seriously troubled all game and Parkes did not hide from the fact Blackburn were poor and well beaten. "Two nil flattered us," he said.

Villa made light of the loss of Gareth Southgate with ankle trouble. Little said the defender would, however, be joining Glenn Hoddle and the rest of the England squad today, but his place on Saturday was taken by Riccardo Scimeca. Steve Staunton also returned to the back five giving Villa a very solid look defensively.

The contest could have been over by the break. Hendry's back header only fell to Yorke, but his chip over the onrushing Flowers went agonisingly wide.

As soon as the half fit Savo Milosevic was replaced by Johnson on the hour, though, Villa stepped up a gear. Flowers came to the rescue to prevent Johnson scoring with his first touch, but the inevitable duly occurred four minutes later.