Cisse scores in EPL return
Djibril Cisse scored just 12 minutes into his Premier League return.
But Mark Hughes revealed he only knew his £4million signing could play less than two hours before kick-off.
QPR were sweating on international clearance for the Frenchman.
And Hughes said: "We were 20 yards from the gates at Villa Park when I got a text saying it was OK for him to play.
"I thought I would be clever and delay telling him until we got into the dressing room because I wanted him to stay focused.
"But when I went up to him, he had a bit of a smile on his face and said his agent had texted him with the news.
"He did well, he has brought a different dimension to the club that maybe they haven't had before. He is going to be vital for us with his quality and technical ability."
Cisse's debut strike was followed by an own goal by Steven Warnock as Rangers raced into a 2-0 lead inside 30 minutes.
But Darren Bent and Charles N'Zogbia hit back either side of the break to grab Villa a point.
Hughes added: "I thought that if it was 2-0 at half time, it maybe would have been too much for Villa to come back.
"I'm delighted to take something from the game because we have not taken many points on the road this season."
Villa chief Alex McLeish was furious with his team's first-half display.
He rapped: "The goals were a joke. It was a pedestrian performance.
"But Bent's goal before half time gave us a lift. But I'd love to see us play for 90 minutes like we did in the second half.
"We cant just switch on and off. We need some consistency." - www.thesun.co.uk
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