When all is said and Dunne...

A SCORELESS stalemate may have done little to clarify the narrowing margins between the clutch of club with top four aspirations, but it spoke volumes about the strengths of Aston Villa and specifically the importance of Richard Dunne and Brad Friedel to their ambitions.

Villa’s ability to frustrate teams is emerging as their greatest asset and an outstandingly frugal run during which they have conceded just one goal in their last nine league games has provided the platform for their continuing challenge for a Champions League place.

Their defensive abilities were showcased at White Hart Lane with Dunne to the fore, meeting every Tottenham threat with a bruising response while Friedel, at 38, remains one the Premier League’s most impressive goalkeepers.

Villa’s attacking threat was painfully limited, but they were facing the team holding the whip hand in the race to break open the established order at the head of the Premier League, as Spurs side who have been consistently effective in front of goal this season.

And the visitors’s success in nullifying that threat suggested they are unlikely to crumble and fade away when the pressure intensifies towards the end of the season.

Liverpool’s victory over Everton and Manchester City’s unexpected defeat at Hull meant that the gang of four contesting fourth place concertina-ed, with the Merseysiders now one point ahead of Spurs and three points ahead of Villa who sit in seventh having played a game less.

The eventual outcome of that mini-league could be decided by who makes the fewest mistakes, and at the moment Villa’s defensive solidity is presenting a good case for Martin O’Neill’s side.

The Villa manager is in no doubt about the value of Dunne’s contribution and the player himself will take additional pleasure if his new team succeeds at the expense of City, his former team.

“Dunne was absolutely brilliant,” said O’Neill. “He is very, very brave and when he is going to head it you just get out of the way. That said, there were plenty of battles there when we had to deal with Peter Crouch.

“He is a real proper threat. He is a quality player. Not only is he good in the air but as we all know he can manoeuvre the ball on the ground.

“Jermain Defoe is a wonderful finisher, so from that point of view for us to keep a clean sheet was particularly pleasing.”

Dunne made no attempt to disguise his disappointment at being told he was surplus to requirements by former City manager Mark Hughes last summer but the move has undoubtedly invigorated him.

“First of all I was delighted to get him,” added O’Neill, who headed off interest from Spurs to sign the player. “We got him on transfer deadline day although we were hoping the agreement would have gone through maybe a day or two before.

“Richard had a real fine career at Manchester City and I don’t think you can be at a football club for nine years and not have real affection for it. Maybe we were lucky to get him. If Manchester City had really wanted to keep him maybe he might have wanted to stay.

“What I do know is whatever way it fell for us, luck was on our side and I am just delighted we got him.” The draw inevitably registered as a moral victory for the visitors with Spurs unable to escape the fact that this felt like two points lost after dominating the game.

Friedel’s saves, one in particular from Ledley King was outstanding, and the courageous blocks of Dunne and central defensive partner James Collins kept them at bay although Dunne conceded Villa enjoyed a slice of luck when a Spurs penalty appeal was turned down. Stiliyan Petrov appeared to trip Defoe and Dunne admitted: “It looked like a penalty but we got the decision.”

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp showed few signs of disappointment, though, knowing that the midweek round of matches that pitch Villa against Manchester United and take Spurs to Wolves could trigger further changes in the table.

“We’re right in it, it’s good to be in that position at this time of the year.,” he said. “We’re in the Cup, we’re still pushing fourth place. I think we’re 18 points better off than we were last year. It’s good, we play great and I enjoy the way we play.”

MATCH RATING: *** – Villa’s approach at times bordered on the frustratingly negative but ultimately there was much to admire in their determined defensive display while Spurs deserve credit for refusing to give up on the chance of victory.

REFEREE: Chris Foy (Merseyside) 6 – Tottenham thought they had a good claim for a penalty turned down late on but otherwise the match official remained out of the spotlight.