ASTON VILLA 0, MAN UNITED 0

ON stalemate Saturday, it was Manchester United who were kicking themselves hardest.

United squandered the chance to close the gap on Premier League pacesetters Chelsea and Liverpool.

As for Aston Villa, they may have missed out on the opportunity to leapfrog the champions but at least they ended a 14-game losing streak against Alex Ferguson's men.

And they did take their place in the top four at the expense of Arsenal.

In the end, both teams were happy to settle for a share of the points from a high-tempo encounter.

Old Trafford chief Fergie said: "There was a 15-minute spell after half-time when Villa had their peak moment.

"But other than that they didn't really trouble us and they were hanging on in the end."

It could have gone either way with Villa and United enjoying passages of supremacy without ever threatening to seize total control.

But the biggest relief of the day will have been felt at Stamford Bridge and Anfield after the joint leaders were held by opponents they expected to trounce.

The afternoon's results had left the door wide open for Villa and United.

Villa were looking to prove they have the attributes to finish in the top four. And there was also the small matter of ending that 13-year jinx against United.

Fresh

Gabby Agbonlahor, fresh from his impressive England debut in midweek, was again used as a lone striker and his pace soon threatened to be a headache for Rio Ferdinand.

The defender, who along with Wayne Rooney missed the friendly against Germany, was forced to bring down the striker from behind with a crunching challenge.

That had Villa manager Martin O'Neill leaping out of his seat in protest but it did not subdue Agbonlahor's enthusiasm or desire to make a further impact.

Martin Laursen's downward header found Agbonlahor tightly marked inside the six-yard box but he managed to get in a shot at goal which did not carry sufficient power to seriously trouble Edwin van der Sar.

As is so often when they are under the cosh, United look to Cristiano Ronaldo to bail them out and sure enough he produced a moment of magic to remind Villa of the task facing them.

Cutting inside from the left, the winger's dipping and swerving shot forced Brad Friedel to save at full stretch.

Ronaldo's attempt to further test Friedel with a trademark free-kick from 20 yards ended with the ball buried in the defensive wall but slowly United began to assert their authority.

Park Ji Sung's wriggling run into the penalty area ended with a shot straight at the Villa keeper as the home side were suddenly made to realise how tough life can be among the elite.

The victory they secured against Arsenal last week at the Emirates was a far easier achievement in the current climate than trying to take on and beat the champions. And it was beginning to look as if Villa were resigned to their fate as United tightened their grip.

Ronaldo managed to bypass the defensive wall with another free-kick but this time his effort was off target.

There was a hint of desperation about Villa's contribution to what was becoming a one-sided contest.

Ashley Young was deep inside his own penalty area when he was required to put in a fine tackle to stop Park's progress. The South Korean was then only inches away from converting a Rooney cross on the edge of the six-yard box.

United tried the aerial route to goal just before half-time and Ryan Giggs' floated free-kick was met at the far post by Nemanja Vidic whose header flew a foot wide.

With Agbonlahor becoming more isolated and lacking both service and support, Villa could not find a way out of the stranglehold.

Their need for an extra striker was obviously a subject for debate in the Villa dressing room at the interval.

Hope

But O'Neill decided to stick with the same formation for the second half.

There was hope for them immediately after the restart when an ambitious shot from Ashley Young forced Van der Sar to back-pedal frantically to touch the ball over.

It was the kind of encouragement that the home side needed after spending most of the opening 45 minutes in retreat.

O'Neill's men came out with a fiercer competitive edge and a thudding but fair tackle on Ronaldo by James Milner seemed to set the tone for a revitalised Villa surge. That was certainly the case as far as Agbonlahor was concerned.

His acceleration left Vidic in a panic and the United ace needed a handful of the Villa player's shirt to stop him as he raced into the area.

Referee Chris Foy failed to spot the infringement much to the disgust of O'Neill who performed another war dance on the touchline.

Villa's resurgence had taken United by surprise but there was a lively response from the visitors which in turn caused the match to swing the other way.

Rooney, who had been taunted by chants of "Where were you in Germany", should have put United in front on the hour.

Michael Carrick slipped him through but, with the goal at his mercy from six yards out, the striker blasted the ball high into the stands.

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