Blues held as Dunne back to haunt Hughes

ASTON VILLA defender Richard Dunne chose not to celebrate his goal against Manchester City last night because he thought it would be disrespectful to do so.

Dunne opened the scoring against his former club at Villa Park after 15 minutes, his first goal since his £6million move from Eastlands arriving after he out jumped former Villa midfielder Gareth Barry.

But City levelled after 67 minutes to claim a point and move into the top four of the Premier League.

“I don’t have a celebration – when I score it’s usually a surprise,” said the Republic of Ireland defender.

“I really enjoyed my time at City and I really respect the club and the fans and (not celebrating) seemed the right thing to do.

“It just seems to happen playing against your former club, people seem to score. I wasn’t expecting to score.”

He added: “Unfortunately we couldn’t go on from there and get the second. Manchester City are a real good team and they’re going to push the top four this season.

“We feel we’ve got as much chance as teams like Man City, Everton, Tottenham – we feel we’re as good as them.”

Dunne felt either side could have claimed a winner in the closing stages.

“It was difficult but I don’t think it was a case of holding out,” he said. “We had opportunities as well.

“After the goal the last 25 minutes was quite even so I think both sides would have been happy with a draw.”

Craig Bellamy denied Dunne the match winning glory with a second-half leveller.

Barry was booed throughout the 90 minutes by the Villa fans on his first return since his £12million summer transfer to City and did not have one of his most influential games.

But Dunne was excellent at the back for Villa and he was applauded by both sets of fans after not celebrating his goal in an elaborate manner. City boss Mark Hughes, meanwhile, agreed there was an inevitability about Dunne’s goal.

“That was the story that was always going to be written,” he said. “We’re pleased ‘Dunny’ has come to another club and he’s doing well. We’d have preferred he hadn’t scored against us.”

Hughes felt his side could have snatched all three points in a tense finish.

“In the second half we were starting to get a real foothold in the game, were in the ascendancy and looked the team more likely to get maximum points,” he said.

“At times we left ourselves open to the counter-attack but we were really positive. Maybe down the line we’ll see it as a good point but we always want three.

“We’ve played better. At times our passing was a bit off, but fair play to the lads, they’ve shown great qualities.”

Villa manager Martin O’Neill also felt his side’s showing warranted three points.

“Over the course of the game I’m disappointed with the result, but not with the performance,” O’Neill said. “The team were absolutely fantastic.

“We haven’t played better. We pressed, we got the goal we deserved, but they’re a very, very good team and you’re not going to outplay them for the whole game.

“They got the goal and the game was end to end. But I’m delighted with the performance of the team.

“I would have loved to have got three points but I’m pleased with the side and pleased with the crowd.”

O’Neill reserved special praise for Ashley Young, who battled on after taking a knock to his ankle in the first half.

“(After they scored) we had to gather ourselves and go again but I always felt we were capable of doing that,” O’Neill said. “The team has got a great heart, typified by Ashley Young.

“Lesser players wouldn’t have gone out for the second half because that ankle was well and truly swollen.”

Villa took the lead when Dunne headed home; Stephen Warnock sent over an in swinging corner and the Dubliner was perfectly placed to climb above Barry and head back across Given into the far corner of the net.

City forced a string of corners and after 67 minutes Bellamy brought them back on level terms with his fourth goal of the season.

Wright-Phillips won the ball and released Ireland who then played the ball into Adebayor down the channel.

He cut the ball back to Bellamy and the Welsh international hammered the ball home from 12 yards.

ASTON VILLA: Friedel, Cuellar, Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Milner, Petrov, Sidwell, Ashley Young (Reo-Coker 81), Agbonlahor, Carew (Heskey 69).

MAN CITY: Given, Zabaleta, Lescott, Toure, Bridge, De Jong (Ireland 50), Barry, Wright-Phillips, Tevez (Santa Cruz 68), Bellamy, Adebayor.

Referee: Mike Dean.