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Aston Villa and Manchester United shared an entertaining goalless draw at Villa Park, as United failed to score in the Premier League for the first time since November last year.

The result kept Sir Alex Ferguson's team in third, eight points adrift of pacesetters Chelsea and Liverpool.

Villa manager Martin O'Neill saw his side climb above Arsenal and into the coveted top four, just a point behind United.

The first half was an open affair, with both sides at ease in possession and space all over the pitch. But clear-cut chances were conspicuous by their absence and the teams were reduced primarily to long-range efforts.

On 13 minutes, Cristiano Ronaldo drove in from the left and unleashed a fierce drive from 30 yards. But Brad Friedel was alert to the danger and produced a fine diving stop to deny the Portuguese midfielder.

Ronaldo was up against Nigel Reo-Coker on the left flank, and the makeshift Villa full-back put in an energetic display to somewhat stifle the FIFPro World Player of the Year.

Reo-Coker even found time to get forward himself, letting fly with a speculative effort from 35 yards. Edwin van der Sar gathered comfortably.

On the half-hour mark James Milner burst down the right and almost found Gabriel Agbonlahor with a curling cross, but Rio Ferdinand nipped in front of the striker to clear the danger.

United's best chance of the half fell to Park Ji-Sung five minutes before the interval, but the South Korean international was denied by a superb saving tackle from Ashley Young after being played in by Wayne Rooney.

Seconds later Rooney whipped over a dangerous cross from the right, and Park came agonisingly close to providing a decisive touch at the far post.

The first chance of the second half fell to Villa, when Young's cross-cum-shot forced Van der Sar to tip over the bar.

Just short of the hour mark Villa had appeals for penalty turned down when Agbonlahor burned past Nemanja Vidic on the left and cut inside the box. Agbonlahor went to ground, although replays showed the initial contact occurred outside the area. The referee awarded nothing.

Five minutes later United wasted a glorious chance to go ahead. Michael Carrick lofted a ball in to Rooney, who had time to compose himself before blasting a shot over the bar with just Friedel to beat.

With time running out Ferguson introduced Nani and Anderson at the expense of Carlos Tevez and a limping Ronaldo, but United could not find the breakthrough.

The last meaningful opportunity of the evening fell to Villa, when James Milner burst down the left flank and reached the by-line. The England Under-21 midfielder made his way towards goal, but his cut-back failed to find an onrushing Villa player and United cleared.

Will Tidey / Eurosport