SUNDERLAND slipped to seventh place in the table after battling for a point in this dour, goalless draw - the second in successive seasons at Villa Park.

It was not a good advertisement for Premiership football, however, in front of England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson.

The two highly-positioned teams stuttered through a very disappointing game, with open, attractive football very much at a premium.

Both goalkeepers were tested once, with Villa's Peter Schmeichel flicking over a header from Republic of Ireland striker Niall Quinn.

Sunderland's stand-in keeper, Jurgen Macho, had to deal similarly with a dipping right-foot shot from former England international Paul Merson.

Apart from that, however, goalmouth thrills were few and far between, with both defences well on top of their jobs as neither side produced much creativity from midfield.

Sheffield referee Uriah Rennie was quick to demonstrate he would stand no nonsense when he awarded a series of free-kicks for niggling early fouls.

Sunderland defender George McCartney made a crucial interception to take the ball off the toes of four-goal Darius Vassell as he prepared to shoot in the fifth minute.

Austrian keeper Macho, deputising for broken nose victim Thomas Sorensen, was hurt in a late challenge by Hassan Kachloul, but the referee was content to reprimand the winger.

Sunderland had to thank Macho for a fine reflex save in the ninth minute when he pushed over a vicious left-foot shot on the turn from Vassell, who anticipated Dion Dublin's flick-on brilliantly.

Sunderland found themselves very much on the receiving end early on as unbeaten Villa quickly clicked into gear and Macho had to be alert to hold a powerful 25-yard shot from Lee Hendrie in the 15th minute.

Sunderland made their first dangerous attack in the 19th minute when Swiss full back Bernt Haas sent a quick thow-in up to Niall Quinn, but the big Irishman mishit his right-foot shot wide across the face of goal without troubling Schmeichel.

Villa, inspired by the midfield promptings of Paul Merson, looked the more composed side, but neither outfit had produced any significant end product in the first half hour.

Sunderland produced the first corner of a lacklustre game in the 31st minute and Quinn, going up well to Julio Arca's kick, could only get a glancing touch with his head and as the pressure continued the big Irishman's first touch let him down in the area.

A mistake by young central defender McCartney presented the ball to Vassell, and fortunately for the Wearsiders Jody Craddock was able to deflect a fierce left-foot shot wide of the target.

England man Kevin Phillips was fortunate to escape with only a booking in the 41st minute when he was penalised for a rash challenge on Villa midfielder Hendrie, who went down with a painful knee in jury.

Sunderland's best chance of the half came in the first minute of stoppage time when Schmeichel made a superb one-handed save to turn over a close-range header from Quinn, who rose high to meet a right-wing corner from Arca.

It had been a pretty dour game, however, with defences on top.

The tempo increased slightly after the break as Villa tried to break the deadlock.

There was a very close call in the 51st minute when Merson hit a superb dipping right-foot half volley from 22 yards, which Macho did well to help over the bar.

Macho then had to hold a difficult, headed back-pass from skipper Michael Gray, under pressure in his own area from Vassell.

Villa substituted French international David Ginola for Merson in the 55th minute and the former England man was given a rousing ovation by the home fans for his earlier efforts.

Sunderland had a penalty appeal turned down in the 59th minute when Kilbane, going for a header, went down to a challenge from Mellberg, but the referee was not impressed.

Sunderland, however, contiunued to press and Phillips brought a goal-line save from Schmeichel with a low header from a left wing centre by Kilbane.

It was still a disappointing game, littered by petty fouls and Haas became the third Sunderland player to be booked, for a trip on Ginola.

It took a finely-judged challenge near the penalty spot by Alpay to dispossess Phillips as he steadied to shoot after cleverly taking a through-ball from Quinn.

The game remained on a knife-edge as both sides pressed for a winner, but Villa's finishing was poor, with Hendrie bursting into the box and beating his man only to blast a right-foot shot over the bar in the 73rd minute.

Sunderland continued to earn the encouragement of the travelling fans in the 80th minute when McCann fired just over the bar from the edge of the box after further good supply by the tiring Quinn, who was replaced two minutes later by French striker Lilian Laslandes.

Phillips thought he had a chance of his fourth goal of the season when he took the ball round Schmeichel in the 89th minute, but he was well wide of goal and his shot, from the narrowest of angles, sailed high over the bar.

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