PICTURES

WEBMASTER'S COMMENT

"Utd should have won this match and gained 3 points but Joachim's lucky deflected shot spun the ball over Schmeichel's head to draw the game at 1-1."

MATCH REPORT

By Mark Bradley, PA Sport

Dwight Yorke's eagerly anticipated return to Aston Villa was overshadowed as the team he left behind battered Manchester United almost to the point of submission in the top of the table clash at Villa Park. But even though the Premiership leaders threw everything at United in a frenetic and compelling second half, the Reds somehow emerged with a valuable draw.

United even managed to take the lead just over a minute into the second half through Paul Scholes but, after a deflected effort from Julian Joachim had secured a 55th-minute equaliser, the visitors were left hanging on. At times it was desperate, at times it was fortunate, but Villa's failure to convert their host of chances ultimately cost them dearly.

At least they proved that their title chances, so often cast in doubt after not having played any of their main challengers, are genuine. And they certainly showed that there is life after Yorke, whose £12million move to Old Trafford courted such controversy earlier this season.

Before the whistle, the striker was given a largely supportive welcome back to the club where he spent the first nine years of his career. After it, he as roundly booed every time he touched the ball.

However, he had little impact on a first half which Villa dominated through the industrious running and endless tackling of their midfield trio of Alan Thompson - back for the injured Paul Merson - Lee Hendrie and Ian Taylor. Yorke did manage to raise a smile after his first effort on goal threatened the corner flag. But when Villa defender Ugo Ehiogu's unchallenged header just passed the upright from a corner it put a cagey start to the game firmly to an end.

While Dion Dublin provided the focal point for Villa's attacks, it was Joachim's pace that really tormented the United back four. On one foray down the left wing on 23 minutes, he crossed for Hendrie and the new England recruit dummied his way past Gary Neville and guided the ball through the legs of Jaap Stam.

Scoring seemed straightforward as Peter Schmeichel lay helpless on the floor but Hendrie hesitated and instead of shooting, left the ball for team-mate Taylor, who was tackled as he took aim. Joachim was then put through himself by Taylor but as he raced clear of the United defence, his touch let him down and the keeper was able to come out and gather comfortably.

United took their time to get out of first gear but Villa still had to be on their guard as Gareth Barry cleared a back header from Andy Cole off the line and the former Newcastle striker struck a half volley wide. They were still not dominating the game though and a stand up row between Schmeichel and Stam after they collided showed the pressure they were being put under.

However, just over a minute after the break they stunned Villa by turning the match on its head. Cole crossed from the right and keeper Michael Oakes dived out to palm the ball clear to prevent it reaching Ryan Giggs, a half-time substitute for Jesper Blomqvist. But Oakes only succeeded in diverting the ball as far as Scholes, who hit a powerful first-time volley almost straight through the keeper and into the net.

Villa responded to that huge setback with the passion, commitment and determination which had carried them to the top of the table. Their equaliser may have owed much to luck as Joachim darted forward to the edge of the penalty area and took aim only to see his shot deflected up off the boot of Denis Irwin and over the head of the stranded Schmeichel.

But from then on they were on fire, with Joachim almost shaving the far post with a 20-yard shot and Thompson coming even closer as he hit the upright with a free-kick that left the United keeper rooted to the spot. Ehiogu saw a header blocked and Joachim had another shot deflected but this time the ball flew wide, while Stam's outstretched boot was all that denied Dublin.

United boss Alex Ferguson had clearly seen enough. Nicky Butt entered the fray with 20 minutes left to replace striker Coles in an urgent bid to bolster the over-run midfield. Ultimately it worked and although Villa continued to press forward, United held out and also had chances for victory, with Yorke and Scholes both shooting straight at Oakes when well placed.

Both sides were cheered off at the end but neither side had time to rest on their laurels with the small matter of games against Chelsea and Bayern Munich respectively to prepare for on Wednesday night.

POST MATCH REACTIONS

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson agreed that Aston Villa should be considered as genuine title contenders after his side had to battle to escape with a 1-1 draw against the Premiership leaders. Striker Dwight Yorke was a peripheral figure on his first return to his former club as Villa came close to extending their lead at the top in the absence of Paul Merson and Stan Collymore.

However, after Julian Joachim's 55th-minute deflected strike had equalised Paul Scholes' opener just after the break, the home side failed to convert their chances and had to settle for a point. Midfielder Alan Thompson hit the post with a powerful free kick, while Joachim also shaved the upright but the Villa were left to rue first half misses by Ugo Ehiogu and Ian Taylor.

Ferguson said: "If Villa work as hard as that and get referees like that, then they've got a great chance. When you work as hard as that, you've got to be respected.

"Everybody was talking about Dion Dublin before the game but I thought Joachim was a real threat." He added: "I was satisfied with a draw, it wasn't a bad result for us. You always hope to take something out of games like this and that's what we've done.

"We've come through it. We held ourselves together in the last 20 minutes after looking a bit ragged after the Villa goal."

Ferguson was particularly pleased there were no new injury worries ahead of Wednesday's vital Champions' League tie again Bayern Munich when Ryan Giggs, a second half substitute at Villa Park should be back in the starting line up. But he always knew Yorke would find it difficult against his former club in a match rich with intrigue, given that Dublin was also up against old team mates, Andy Cole had been courted by Villa and United were starting life without Brian Kidd.

Villa boss John Gregory left the post match limelight to his assistant Steve Harrison but it was clear that he felt the home side should have won the game instead of being left with just two points from their last three games.

Harrison said: "There's a great deal of satisfaction in the performance and the knowledge that we should have probably beaten United. But obviously if you perform like that, you're looking to get the three points.

"It's a big week for us. We've stood up to the first big test and now we've got another one on Wednesday at Chelsea and a nice easy one next Saturday against Arsenal! The players have responded really well. We did perform. We didn't actually get the results we were looking for but it was very promising."

TEAMS

Aston Villa: Oakes, Ehiogu, Southgate, Barry, Watson, Taylor, Thompson, Hendrie, Wright, Dublin, Joachim.
Scorers: Joachim (55)

Manchester United: Schmeichel, Irwin, Stam, G Neville, Brown, Beckham, Keane, Scholes, Blomqvist, Cole, Yorke.
Subs: Giggs for Blomqvist, Butt for Cole
Scorers: Scholes (47)

Referee: M Riley