*Everton in Villa stalemate*

Aston Villa and Everton both recorded their second goalless draw in a week in a lacklustre match at Villa Park.

Both sides lie next to each other in the lower half of the Premiership table and there was little to separate them on the pitch.

Kevin Campbell hit the crossbar with a first half header for the visitors, while Peter Whiittingham drilled a left-foot shot onto the post for the home side.

Even Wayne Rooney, who celebrated his 18th birthday during the week, could not find a way to breach Aston Villa’s new-look defence.

Everton almost took the lead after 19 minutes but Thomas Sorensen tipped Campbell’s goal-bound header from Thomas Gravesen’s corner onto the crossbar.

The away side, chasing their first Premiership win at Villa Park, struggled to find a way past a makeshift Villa defence.

With Alpay leaving the club in midweek and Ronny Johnsen out with a toe infection, striker Dion Dublin partnered Olof Mellberg at the heart of the defence.

Rooney, who was urged by manager David Moyes to lift his game during the week, joined Campbell in the Everton frontline but they found chances few and far between.

Campbell almost broke the deadlock after he was released by Kevin Kilbane, but his left-footed effort from inside the box flew over the bar.

With Juan Pablo Angel battling as a lone striker, Villa’s five-strong midfield were given licence to get forward and England Under-21 international Peter Whittingham hit the post with his 20-yard effort 10 minutes before the break.

Mellberg forced a save from Nigel Martyn after the resumption and Thomas Hitzlsperger’s effort slipped past the post minutes later as the home side had the best of the chances in the second half.

But Everton’s defence held firm to deny the home side who remain unbeaten at Villa Park this term.