Aston Villa leapfrogged Arsenal into the last Champions League placing on Tuesday as an own-goal by Kamil Zayatte gifted them a 1-0 victory over Hull City in the last Premier League match of the year.
Zayatte turned his attempted clearance past goalkeeper Boaz Myhill to extend Villa's unbeaten sequence to eight while Hull must be staring anxiously at the bottom three as they have only won once in their last 11 games.
They looked to be on course to salvage a point in time added on when referee Steve Bennett awarded them a penalty for handball but after consulting with a linesman he correctly rescinded his decision as former Real Madrid target Ashley Young had not handled the ball, though he did raise his arm as the ball went over the bar.
Hull's veteran former England striker Nicky Barmby thought he might have got the opener early in the first-half but Bennett adjudged correctly that he had barged Villa keeper Brad Friedel - who was making his 172nd successive Premier League appearance - before stabbing the ball home.
Indeed despite Villa playing the most creative football it was Hull that were slightly more effective in the danger areas and it took a desperate headed clearance by Curtis Davies 10 minutes from the break to stop Hull capitalising on a fine move.
The second-half was a similar period to the first where Villa played the pretty football but were unable to impose themselves as Hull's players stopped them every time they looked dangerous.
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