Paul Merson may have been the chief executioner, cutting another of the lifelines holding Manchester City to the Premiership, but it took an act of footballing suicide to hand victory to Aston Villa.

In an incident that will haunt Nicky Weaver for weeks, the City keeper tried to dribble past Dion Dublin but slipped and lost control, leaving the Villa striker an empty goal to roll the ball into.

That was the crucial moment, a minute before the break, as City had until then matched the visitors.

Indeed, Shaun Goater had given City an early lead after excellent work by Jeff Whitley, before Merson swept in an equaliser.

Then came Weaver's howler and it was all over for City. It may also be all over for them in the Premiership too.

It had all started so well for the Blues, third-from-bottom of the Premiership at kick-off and in desperate need of a win to keep their survival hopes alive.

Villa had George Boateng back from injury, but boss John Gregory left £9.5million striker Juan Pablo Angel, yet to have a shot on target in his seven games since signing, out of his squad.

Weaver began the move which led to City's 12th minute goal. He threw out to Danny Tiatto, who played an excellent ball down the left flank to meet Whitley's run. Whitley skipped past Mark Delaney's challenge and sprinted into the box towards David James' goal.

Villa were expecting a shot but Whitley calmly rolled a pass to Goater who finished with a minimum of fuss.

City boss Joe Royle's joy lasted less than two minutes as Hendrie broke down the left of the area and cracked in a cross to the near post.

Richard Dunne managed to block it but Steve Stone somehow contrived to touch the ball back to Merson who buried his shot low past Weaver.

Merson, always willing to try the unexpected, then so nearly punished Laurent Charvet's hurried clearance with a first-time volley flashed past Weaver but wide of the far post.

City were struggling at this point, but then Tiatto had two long-range strikes in as many minutes, both saved by James.

The first effort lacked power, but the second was a positive Exocet which had the Villa keeper flying to his left to tip the ball over for a corner.

Just as City were looking towards the half-time break, Weaver handed the game to Villa.

Dublin seemed to be chasing a lost cause, but forced Spencer Prior to pass back. As Dublin closed the keeper down, Weaver should have aimed for row Z but he tried, Fabien Barthez-style, to beat his man only to lose his footing and the ball. Royle no doubt thought he had lost his marbles too.

The City boss made one change at half-time, bringing on Mark Kennedy for Danny Granville.

Andrei Kanchelskis, looking a shadow of his Manchester United self, did have a decent opening, but for the second time in the match pulled his shot hopelessly wide across goal.

The ball did find Kennedy, but he was so surprised he could not control it.

Kanchelskis played no further part, and he was booed by a section of the City fans as he went off to be replaced by Darren Huckerby.

Merson nearly sewed the game up for Villa after he beat the offside trap and bore down on goal, but Prior managed to get across and block his shot.

Merson, the best player on the pitch, then fashioned the killer goal for Villa.

A through-ball of genius, played with the outside of his boot, put Hendrie clear and Merson was celebrating even before his team-mate slotted home.

Huckerby forced a diving save from James, who was then almost caught out by a deflection off Alpay but recovered to dive on the loose ball.

Dublin was then guilty of one of the misses of the season, after Stone and Hendrie and presented a goal on a plate, but somehow the striker missed the ball completely.

Julian Joachim came on for Merson, who was given a richly-deserved ovation from all around the ground.

The frustration was too much for Tiatto, who having just been booked kicked the ball away at free-kick and was sent off.

Teams

Man City: Weaver, Charvet, Granville (Kennedy 45), Prior, Dunne, Haaland, Whitley, Tiatto, Kanchelskis (Huckerby 55), Goater, Ostenstad (Wiekens 82).

Subs Not Used: Dickov, Nash.

Sent Off: Tiatto (81).

Booked: Haaland, Prior, Charvet, Tiatto.

Goals: Goater 12.

Aston Villa: James, Delaney, Southgate, Alpay, Wright, Boateng, Taylor (Staunton 58), Stone, Hendrie, Merson (Joachim 75), Dublin (Vassell 89).

Subs Not Used: Ginola, Enckelman.

Booked: Boateng, Dublin, Wright, Southgate.

Goals: Merson 14, Dublin 45, Hendrie 65.

Att: 34,247

Ref: R Styles (Waterlooville).