The slides of March

BEWARE the Ides of March?

Martin O’Neill urgently needs to find a solution to one of the most bizarre hoodoos in the Premier League if he is to succeed in his mission to bring European football back to Villa Park.

After 13 attempts, approaching an excruciating four years, the Aston Villa manager is still yet to record a league win in the month of March and if he fails to kill off the curse he can surely kiss goodbye to his Champions League dream.

Forthcoming games against struggling Wigan and Wolves should see O’Neill banish the irritating statistic but, even more importantly, maintain the pressure on the likes of Tottenham and Manchester City.

A point in the bear pit of the Britannia Stadium probably represents a step forward, for so many more established teams have left with nothing, with their noses bloodied. But while the Derry man has not experienced a league defeat since the home setback to Liverpool towards the end of December, he remains six points behind Spurs.

He said: “I obviously bother myself about losing football matches whether it’s in the month of March or the beginning of August. We’re going to try and rectify it. Of course it’s going to be a bother because if we’re not winning games for a whole month it’s not going to help our cause.

“How many points will we need? It’s a very difficult question. I don’t really look that far in advance. I think today, taking that into consideration, this was always a difficult fixture. It has been a difficult fixture for a lot of teams this and last season. So from our viewpoint naturally you lose a couple of points by drawing a game but this might be an important draw here today.”

This game was one for big hearts – and big defenders. Villa stood up admirably to the predictable aerial bombardment, spearheaded by Rory Delap’s Exocet missile throws from the touchline.

Both sides had a chance apiece, with Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen repelling a first half shot from Stiliyan Petrov before substitute Ricardo Fuller ended a slaloming run into the box with a tame shot at Brad Friedel.

Fuller had been introduced in place of Tuncay, who provided the only flashpoint of a dour afternoon by storming off down the tunnel in a huff. The Turkey international is understood to have also driven off long before the final whistle.

“I don’t have to justify my decision in any shape or form,” said Stoke manager Tony Pulis. “I don’t do it because it’s personal but only if it’s right for the team.”

And when the manager of the year awards are handed out at the end of the season, the shrewd Welshman shouldn’t be too far behind the likes of Alex McLeish and Roy Hodgson.

Stoke will achieve their mission of surviving – but whether O’Neill can achieve his mission will be rather more difficult.

MATCH RATING: ** - The three games between these two sides at this level have been full of life – but this was thoroughly moribund.

REFEREE: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire) 7 – A physical game was marshalled well, though O’Neill was particularly irritated with the mystifying booking for James Milner.