Aston Villa 0 - 0 Manchester United

Rooney fluffs big chance

Updated: November 22, 2008, 7:43 PM UK

Wayne Rooney was guilty of a glaring miss at Villa Park as Manchester United missed the chance to close the gap on Barclays Premier League leaders Chelsea and Liverpool with a 0-0 draw with Aston Villa.

• O'Neill bemons pen incident

Martin O'Neill's side ended their 14-match losing sequence against the Red Devils but the visitors could have cut the deficit on the pacesetters to six points after the leading two were both held earlier in the day.

Fit-again Rooney squandered United's best chance when he fired over the bar from close range in the second half.

Villa had received a massive confidence boost with their win at Arsenal last weekend and they were well worth a share of the spoils over the 90 minutes.

United were the better side in the opening 45 minutes although clear-cut chances were at a premium.

In the second period it was Villa who looked the more likely to make the breakthrough as they hustled the visitors out of their stride for long spells with James Milner in splendid form.

Gabriel Agbonlahor - Villa's only out-and-out striker - was on the receiving end of a hefty early challenge from behind by fit-again United defender Rio Ferdinand but shook it off and was on the end of the first decent chance of the game.

A long free-kick by Luke Young was headed on by Villa captain Martin Laursen and the first-time effort from Agbonlahor was not truly struck and hit straight at United goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar.

Villa keeper Brad Friedel was called into meaningful action for the first time after 14 minutes to turn aside a swerving drive from Cristiano Ronaldo, who had cut inside the recalled Nigel Reo-Coker with ease.

Van der Sar went down at his left-hand post to comfortably save a 20-yard effort from Reo-Coker after he had made a powerful break from the halfway line.

Ronaldo fouled Stiliyan Petrov in an area ideal for the free-kick skills of Ashley Young in a central position but it was James Milner who stepped forward and scuffed his low shot across the face of goal.

The game opened up more towards half-time and Ashley Young produced a superb tackle to deny Ji-Sung Park in the Villa box as the South Korean prepared to shoot after being found in space by Rooney.

Rooney set up another possible opportunity for Park when he arced a low ball across the area but the United player just failed to make contact.

Most of the play took place in the Villa half after a bright start by the home side and Nemanja Vidic arrowed a header just wide at the far post from Ryan Giggs' free-kick.

Villa began the second half promisingly and Ashley Young almost caught Van der Sar out of position with a curling effort from 20 yards out which looked destined for the top corner until the Dutchman recovered to tip it over the bar.

United came under the cosh during the early stages of the second period as Villa peppered their box with a succession of crosses and Steve Sidwell had a fierce drive from the edge of the box blocked by Vidic.

O'Neill was incensed when referee Chris Foy awarded no foul against Vidic after he held on to the shirt of Agbonlahor when the striker was in full flight as he cut in from the left flank into the penalty area,

However, the home side were relieved to see Rooney squander a golden opportunity after 62 minutes.

Michael Carrick's overhead kick dropped into the path of the England striker, who volleyed high and wide when he would have been expected to at least hit the target.

Ferguson made his first substitution after 71 minutes with Nani replacing O'Shea.

Van der Sar went down to his right to cling onto a testing low drive across him from Ashley Young, before Curtis Davies became the first player to be booked after a 76th minute touchline foul on Ronaldo.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side pressed for a winner in the closing stages but rarely looked like finding it, completing an unusual day when none of the Premier League's so-called 'big four' could muster a goal between them.

O'Neill bemons pen incident

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill felt Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic was fortunate not to be sent off as the two sides fought out a goalless draw at Villa Park.

Villa ended a run of 14 successive defeats against the Red Devils and their share of the spoils lifted them into fourth spot in the Barclays Premier League.

But O'Neill felt Vidic should have been red-carded after a challenge on Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor which ended with the player sprawling in the United penalty box.

O'Neill said: "I can understand the concern over whether or not it was a penalty. But it is definitely a foul. If we get the foul, the player (Vidic) has to be sent off because it is a goal-scoring opportunity. It is as simple as that.

"I didn't need to look at a TV replay to see that it was a foul - but I did do it and there is no doubt that Vidic fouled Gabby.''

Unsurprisingly Sir Alex Ferguson had a different viewpoint of the incident. He said: "Vidic has got the ball. The crowd can sometimes get you a penalty but the referee couldn't give that one. He gave plenty to them as it was.''

Of more concern to Ferguson, was the fact winger Cristiano Ronaldo could miss Tuesdays Champions League game with Villarreal. The Portuguese star limped out of the game in the closing stages with a leg injury.

Ferguson said: "His leg is in a mess. He is doubtful for Tuesday.''

O'Neill felt Villa deserved their share of the spoils which followed on from the 2-0 success at Arsenal last weekend. He said: "We tried to perform in the same way. We didn't create as many chances as at Arsenal but tried to replicate the play.

"It is very difficult against United. They are great players who can turn games but we stuck at it and deserved something. These have been two big games for us after losing to Newcastle and Middlesbrough and will help to give the players great self-belief.

"We have now played the top four sides and have lost only once although we were well beaten at Chelsea.

"It is exceptionally hard to break into the top four but we are aiming for that sort of thing. The players are improving and have a good confidence about themselves.''

Ferguson said: "I thought we were the better team apart from a 15-minute spell at half-time when Villa got the ball into our box from free-kicks and corners and caused a lot of problems. Apart from that, we weren't in danger. I was pleased with the effort we put in against an aggressive and determined team who defended for their lives.

"Our possession was good and we created the chances. Wayne Rooney and Ji-Sung Park had good chances. With the amount of possession we had at the end I thought another chance must come along but they held on.''