Aston Villa 0-0 Manchester United

Nov 23 2008 Jamie Hewitt Reports

English Action

RED-FACED Wayne Rooney blew Man United's big chance to gain ground on the Premiership leaders by missing a second-half sitter.

United could have cut the deficit on Liverpool and Chelsea to six points but their run of 14 successive victories over Villa came to a frustrating end.

And fit-again Rooney was the main culprit after he fired over from close range.

However, Martin O'Neill's side deservedly ended their long losing sequence against the Red Devils and proved they're ready to gatecrash the top four as they moved above Arsenal into a Champions League place.

Villa haven't beaten Sir Alex Ferguson's men in the league since August 1995 - 25 games ago - but carved the first chance in a lively opening spell.

A long free-kick by Luke Young was headed on by skipper Martin Laursen and Gabriel Agbonlahor's first-time effort was hit straight at Edwin van der Sar.

The tackles were flying in with Cristiano Ronaldo, Agbonlahor and Ashley Young given no time on the ball.

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

The away side then appealed in vain for a penalty after a collision between Carlos Tevez and Gareth Barry.

Reo-Coker tried to spark his side into life with a powerful burst from halfway but his 20-yard shot was saved low by van der Sar.

The Villa man was then adjudged to have brought down Ronaldo in a dangerous position 25 yards out but the Portuguese's free-kick smashed into the wall.

The Red Devils were now enjoying the bulk of possession and Ji-Sung Park beat Luke Young only to drill his low cross straight at Friedel.

James Milner wastefully scuffed a free-kick across the face of goal and both sides were struggling to create clear-cut openings.

Ronaldo summed up the stalemate by curling a set-piece well wide from another promising position after Stilian Petrov had fouled Park.

Ashley Young then produced a superb tackle to deny Park in the box as he prepared to pull the trigger after being fed by Rooney.

The United duo almost combined again to break the deadlock but the South Korean just failed to connect with Rooney's low ball across the area.

Most of the play was taking place in the Villa half and Nemanja Vidic arrowed a header just wide from a Ryan Giggs free-kick as United probed.

But O'Neill's men rallied after the break and a reverse pass from Ashley Young found Milner whose low cross was too close to van der Sar.

The Dutchman was almost caught out of position by a curling 20-yarder from Ashley Young that looked destined for the top corner but he recovered to tip it over. United were under the cosh as Villa peppered their box with crosses and Steve Sidwell had a fierce drive blocked by Vidic.

Then O'Neill was incensed when ref Chris Foy failed to penalise the Serb for tugging back Agbonlahor as he cut into the area.

United were seldom being seen as an attacking threat but Rooney squandered the game's best chance in 62 minutes.

Michael Carrick's overhead kick dropped into the path of the England striker but he volleyed high and wide.

Van der Sar dived to cling on to a testing low drive across him from Ashley Young and though Fergie's side pressed for a late winner it never looked likely.