Steven Pienaar and Marouane Fellaini 460

THESE two sides have been on a collision course for some time now and yesterday afternoon’s clash was everything it promised to be – though it didn’t much help either side’s Champions League dreams.

Knowing the game was one of the finest of the season will probably come as little comfort to either club for Arsenal look to have secured the fourth spot in the Premier League.

Indeed, Arsene Wenger might have admired the spectacle from the comfort of his home but more importantly felt delight at the result – one he wanted but nobody inside Villa Park craved.

Watching Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill prowl the technical area with his usual high energy gives little away as to how his side may be faring.

But you can tell a great deal about Everton’s fortunes by David Moyes’ touchline manner.

For an hour of this match the Blues boss sat calmly in his seat, content with another seemingly significant victory in their European hunt.

However in the final half an hour he was never off his feet.

No doubt irked by the award of the penalty that led to Aston Villa’s equaliser and the refusal of referee Howard Webb to give his side a spot kick in the first half, Moyes looked uncomfortable with the way Everton had let a two goal lead slip for the second time in the match.

You can imagine the battle between the two managers in their playing days would have been equally as fierce and enthralling as was the third meeting between the two teams this season.

The uncompromising Glaswegian defender against the elusive midfielder from Belfast – their respective sides clearly created in their image – have schooled their players to engage in value for money action; they demand nothing less.