ASTON VILLA 2 MANCHESTER CITY 2
Joe Royle's men came into the game off the back of the impressive 5-0 drubbing of Everton at Maine Road last week, whereas Villa brought only a record of three consecutive draws and a week of further dismay for their manager John Gregory, with goalkeeper David James handing in a transfer request at the Midlands club on Friday.
However, the first half of the game proved to be a very evenly-matched affair, with both sides having chances to take the lead, but ultimately neither team were able to find the crucial breakthrough.
Villa were guilty of some careless defending early on, giving the ball away on a number of occasions, and it was from one of these mistakes that City captain Alf-Inge Haaland had the best chance to put his side in front, as Gareth Barry gave the ball away in his own half.
Haaland was in plenty of space on the edge of the area as City immediately looked to capitalise on Barry's blunder, but as the ball came across from the right, the Norwegian could not find his footing and could only guide the ball wide.
Paul Merson had the best chance to break the deadlock for the home side, and he can rightly feel hard done-by not to have sent his side into the break with the lead.
The move started when George Boateng won the ball for Villa in his own half and passed it inside to Merson to his right. The former England international then exploded through the middle of the pitch and, spotting Nicky Weaver off his line, attempted a clever chip from outside the area.
However, a lick of paint denied Merson, as the ball rebounded off the woodwork, and Richard Dunne was on-hand to head the ball back over his own bar to relieve the pressure for the visitors.
And so, with neither team able to find the crucial breakthrough in the first half, the game went into the interval all-square and looking likely to provide an entertaining second period.
Indeed, the second half did not disappoint, setting off at the fast pace that the first half had been played at in its entirety, with Villa looking the more likely side to break the deadlock, having two good chances in the first ten minutes after the interval.
Dion Dublin did well to get his head to a ball in from Steve Stone on the right, but, with the defender challenging, he could only guide the ball wide when he really should have done better.
Then, moments later, David Ginola found Lee Hendrie in the area and he should have fired the home side into the lead from close range, but he scuffed his shot and the ball flew well wide of the target and behind.
Villa then looked as though they were to be punished for their missed opportunities, as Alf-Inge Haaland gave the visitors the lead, completing a lovely move through the centre of the park by City.
After a lovely one-two, Paulo Wanchope picked out Haaland in the area and, despite coming under pressure from Gareth Southgate, the Norwegian was able to calmly guide the ball past David James.
The visiting fans' celebrations did not last long though, with Dion Dublin putting Villa back on level terms just six minutes later. David Ginola supplied the ball across the field from the left for Villa and as Steve Howey battled for the ball with him, Dublin rose to head the ball into the far corner past a helpless Weaver.
This time however, it was the home fans who had their celebrations cut short, as Wanchope put the visitors back into the lead minutes later. Second half substitute Mark Kennedy launched a vicious shot in from the left for City, which James could only parry, and Wanchope was on-hand in front of goal to tap the ball home.
Villa refused to lie down though, looking to get back into the game straight away, but their cause was further hindered when Lee Hendrie was given his marching orders for petulance after 78 minutes.
Having crashed to the ground after colliding with Haaland on the edge of the City area, Hendrie directed some angry comments at the referee, and as Villa prepared to take a corner on the right, the match official called the midfielder over to him and produced the red card.
This did not however, stop Villa from believing that they could get back into the match, seeming to instil a sense of determination into the side and urging them to press forward in search of a way back into the game.
David Ginola duly obliged, firing a powerful shot in from some 25 yards out, and as Weaver dived to his left the ball flew underneath him and into the back of the net, causing the Frenchman to whip off his shirt in celebration, for which he was shown the yellow card by the referee.
With just four minutes of the game left, City desperately looked to push forward in search of a winner, but their best effort saw Shaun Wright-Phillips fire a shot into the side-netting, and the two teams were left with a share of the points, extending Villa's run of draws to four.
