Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 Aston Villa

A fine Aston Villa defensive display secured a point against a fluent Tottenham team who could not create the decisive chance

Tottenham started the match on the front foot and retained the bigger threat for most of an entertaining goalless draw that suited Villa better in the race for fourth place.

Luka Modric was at the centre of Spurs' good start and it was the little playmaker who had the first good chance, Brad Friedel making a decent save in the fifth minute. The rejuvenated David Bentley went close with a firm drive from distance, before Peter Crouch wasted the best chance of the first half, taking too long to shoot when clean through on 18 minutes.

Tom Huddlestone forced Friedel into a another diving save soon afterwards, but if Spurs thought they would enjoy one-way traffic for the whole match they got a warning on the half hour mark, Heurelho Gomes making a sharp double save from James Milner and Gabriel Agbonlahor.

However, Villa's threat did gradually subside, perhaps partly due to Emile Heskey's early substitution due to injury and it was the visitors' defensive players who grew in stature. James Collins and Richard Dunne were excellent, making numerous last ditch tackles and blocks.

Spurs continued their dominance after the break, Jermain Defoe and Bentley testing Friedel again as time ran out began to run out for the hosts.
Crouch's deflected shot with 10 minutes to go nearly beat Friedel and the big England man wasted the best chance in the dying seconds, poking wide from close range.

Villa hung on, proving why they have the best defensive record in the division, but the happiest manager afterwards was Rafa Benitez, whose Liverpool team end the day in fourth place.