SO if results elsewhere played such a pivotal part in shaping events at Villa Park, then forget White Hart Lane for a moment and turn your attention back to the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Selly Oak.

Blues’ demise might have cranked up the carnival atmosphere in B6 yesterday afternoon but it is the outcome of Gerard Houllier’s medical reports this week which will determine the club’s future.

As Gary McAllister admitted after the 1-0 win over Liverpool, now that Villa have had some fun at their enemy’s expense, parties of next season should be prompted by their own achievements rather than their rivals’ failings.

Not that Villa can be denied their moment of gloating after such a season of struggle when their crown as THE Premier League team in the West Midlands has been threatened much more than in recent seasons.

The cheer that greeted Roman Pavlyuchenko’s winner for Tottenham was almost – but not quite – as loud as the one which greeted Stewart Downing’s decisive goal which lifted Villa up to ninth.

But the crowing can’t go on forever. Villa need to get their own club in order to ensure that never again are they flirting with the relegation battle which claimed their near neighbours in such dramatic style.

Which is why the decision about Houllier’s fate needs to be made as soon as possible to ensure Villa avoid the messy uncertainty that so handicapped them before this campaign even kicked off last August.

Ironically, Martin O’Neill still casts a shadow over this club. Not content with throwing Villa into turmoil with his shock resignation at the start of the season, his current Premier League arbitration hearing is now distracting Villa at a time when they should be resolving Houllier’s future.

Although, if the Villa Park vibes are to be believed, the Frenchman’s future has already been decided as he seems to have made up his mind to return to the dugout next season.

Despite his absence from Villa Park yesterday he will certainly have enjoyed the revenge result that went some way towards atoning for his emotional losing return to Anfield last December.

If and when he returns, top of the 63-year-old’s ‘to-do’ list will be sorting out Ashley Young’s future.

If Young goes to Liverpool, Manchester United or whoever (as seems likely following a mutually warm reception which looked like a fond farewell), Villa will no doubt face the accusation of being a ‘selling club’ by again cashing in on their best player.

But, unlike in the past two seasons when Manchester City-bound Gareth Barry and James Milner have been the claret and blues’ top performers, that is not the case for Young.

Because that honour rightly went to Downing and the triple player-of-the-season award winner again lived up to his billing again with yesterday’s decisive goal.

It was no surprise either that the 33rd-minute strike was set up by Villa’s young star of 2010-11, Marc Albrighton, who arrived as a first-half substitute in place of the injured Fabian Delph.