THEY say bad luck comes in threes, but for Sir Bobby Robson yesterday it came by the bucketload.

His Newcastle side may have put in a superb rearguard display to earn a goalless draw after going down to ten men early at Villa Park, but Robson was still left cursing his luck.

The Newcastle manager could even have been forgiven for checking the tyres on the Newcastle United coach for signs of black cat debris after seeing up to three of his players rule themselves out of Thursday's UEFA Cup semi-final first leg at home to Marseille.

Add to that Andy O'Brien facing a three-match ban for his red card for hauling down Darius Vassell, and it capped a day to forget for the knight of the realm.

The point will have pleased Robson, but this morning's after-effects will certainly not.

Craig Bellamy tore a hamstring, Jermaine Jenas a thigh muscle and Kieron Dyer was feeling his thigh at the end of his return to first-team action.

Saturday's results could hardly have been better for the Magpies, and a win yesterday would have put Robson's side firmly in the driving seat in the battle for fourth spot.

A point still leaves them level with Liverpool with a game in hand - Villa are a further point behind - and that was the best he could have hoped for after ten minutes.

Robson brought O'Brien back in place of Titus Bramble hoping to utilise the Republic of Ireland international's pace against the lightning-quick Vassell.

That idea went up in smoke as a long punt forward in the ninth minute had Vassell breathing down O'Brien's neck.

A three-yard deficit appeared a minor handicap for the England international and he was past the centre-back in a instant.

O'Brien panicked, hauled Vassell down and paid the price. It was a carbon copy of his dismissal against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in November - for Adrian Mutu read Vassell.

But, despite all plans being thrown of the window, there was no repeat of that capitulation which saw Chelsea run out 5-0 winners.

The enforced changes saw Aaron Hughes move in alongside Jonathan Woodgate in the centre of defence with Dyer switching to right back. Bellamy dropped into midfield to leave Newcastle looking lightweight with just Shearer up front.

Newcastle have won only one Premiership game following a European match this season and that didn't look like changing.

The record now reads: played 11, won one, drawn five, lost five.

But the changes appeared to cause more problems for Villa than their visitors.

A free-kick from Laurent Robert five minutes later had too much pace for Thomas Sorensen. The former Sunderland goalkeeper could only parry but the home defence cleared the danger.

On 19 minutes a great break by Bellamy through the middle allowed the Welshman to feed Jenas who was galloping into the box. As Jenas unravelled the ball from beneath his feet, the offside flag brought the move to a premature end.

Villa hit back with Lee Hendrie and Peter Crouch firing over, but with Newcastle coming to terms with the rejig Robson decided to replace Robert with the more defensively minded Lee Bowyer.

His plans, however, were further hindered by a thigh injury to Jenas with a single switch becoming a double substitution - Jenas and Robert replaced by Bowyer and Hugo Viana.

Newcastle continued to create chances and their best of the first half arrived on 45 minutes.

Bellamy was again the creator running on to the ball after a challenge by Bowyer.

As the defence backed off Bellamy fed Alan Shearer on the edge of the box but the skipper fired over. There was still time for Vassell to find the net only for his effort to be ruled out for a trip on Hughes.

If Robson thought his afternoon couldn't get any worse in the second-half he was wrong.

A great ball by Bowyer released Bellamy down the right five minutes after the restart, but as he approached the box he pulled up clutching his left hamstring.

Michael Bridges came on and Robson had played his hand. Newcastle, however, were still holding a few aces.

On the hour Dyer crossed and Viana's near-post flick was straight at Sorensen. Viana got another chance when the referee blew up for an earlier foul, but his free-kick from the right side of the box flew over.

The action soon became of the non-football variety when an increasingly fractious encounter started to boil over.

Firstly Shearer scythed down Olof Mellberg to earn a booking then a spat between Gary Speed and the unctious Lee Hendrie got out of hand.

Firstly Hendrie appeared to feign being on the receiving end of a head butt after a frank exchange on halfway, then a tussle in the air led to Speed receiving a caution for a stray elbow he appeared to leave in the head of Hendrie.

Then Ronnie Johnsen and substitute Bridges got in on the act with some WWF moves in the Villa box.

Villa struggled to make their numerical advantage count.

Their best chance fell to substitute Marcus Allback on 67 minutes. A cross on the left from Gareth Barry found the Sweden international but his header was straight at Shay Given.

On 68 minutes former Magpie Nolberto Solano - brought in at the last minute following an injury to Gavin McCann - let fly from 25 yards.

The ball went wide and that was the Peruvian's last play of the game. A generous ovation from all corners of the stadium was his reward. Newcastle's was a hard-earned point.

Result: Aston Villa 0 Newcastle United 0.

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