H-T Aston Villa 0-0 Chelsea: Home side fail to capitalise on early domination

Aston Villa failed to make the most of early opportunities in their Barclays Premier League clash with leaders Chelsea at Villa Park.

Stephen Ireland shot wide when well placed and then Chelsea keeper Petr Cech did well to deny John Carew.

Chelsea recovered after the early onslaught by the home side but did not pose much of an attacking threat.

Chelsea skipper John Terry returned after missing England's midweek clash with Montenegro.

The central defender had recovered sufficiently from the back injury which forced him out of England's goalless draw at Wembley.

With Didier Drogba ruled out through illness, Carlo Ancelotti handed a first league start to Gael Kakuta.

Villa striker Emile Heskey failed to recover from a calf injury and was replaced by John Carew.

Winger Marc Albrighton and defender Luke Young were absent through illness and injury respectively and were replaced by Stephen Ireland and Habib Beye.

Villa missed a great chance to open the scoring through Stephen Ireland after three minutes.

Stewart Downing made a good break down the right flank and his low ball picked out the run of Ireland, who took the ball in his stride. The former Manchester City player's cross-shot beat the dive of Petr Cech but flew inches wide of the far post.

Villa dominated the early stages and Cech produced a fine save to deny John Carew.

Stephen Warnock won the ball off Ramires and it ricocheted straight into the path of the Norway striker. He cut inside before drilling a low shot which Cech finger-tipped around the post.

Paolo Ferreira then made a fine tackle to deny Carew another shooting opportunity after Ashley Young had threaded the ball into his path.

Villa were forced into a substitution after 13 minutes when Richard Dunne did not reappear after going down the tunnel for treatment following a challenge by Ramires.

He was replaced by youngster Ciaran Clark rather than the experienced Carlos Cuellar.

Michael Essien became the first player to be booked for bringing down Villa skipper Stiliyan Petrov.

Kakuta had the first attempt on goal for Chelsea but his rising drive was well off target.

Villa were soon back on the offensive and Petrov had a shot deflected wide after Ireland had teed him up on the edge of the Chelsea box.

Villa were certainly playing a more measured passing game with a greater emphasis on keeping possession than during the Martin O'Neill era.

Essien was so far off target with one shot that he sliced it out of play for a Villa throw-in.

Kakuta was then high and wide of the home goal with his first time shot from a Florent Malouda corner.

Mikel had the Blues' first shot on target attempt after 33 minutes but it was comfortably dealt with by Villa keeper Brad Friedel

Nicolas Anelka created a yard of space for himself just outside the Villa box with a neat turn but again the final shot was well wide of the mark.

The visitors were now in control of the game territorially.

But in a Villa counter-attack Branislav Ivanovic threw his body forward to block a fierce drive from Ireland 20 yards out.

Ireland appealed optimistically for a penalty when TV replays showed the ball had struck the shoulder of the Chelsea defender.

Villa ended the half back on the offensive and James Collins headed over from a Young corner.