On april 2012
Aston Villa edged further towards Premier League safety after a 0-0 stalemate with Sunderland at Villa Park.
In a game of few clear-cut chances, Sunderland's Nicklas Bendtner came closest with a first half header over Shay Given's bar and the Dane was unlucky to see a goal chalked off on 75 minutes after the tightest of offside decisions after Stephen Ireland had earlier cleared a Bendtner effort off the line.
Alex McLeish's men had chances of their own, and were denied a penalty when Michael Turner clipped the onrushing Andreas Weimann.
Sunderland had Craig Gardner sent off for a second yellow in stoppage-time, but neither side showed enough quality to take all three points.
Black Cats boss Martin O'Neill returned to Villa Park for the first time since leaving them early last season.
0-Aston Villa: Given; Lichaj, Collins (Hutton, 43'), Baker, Cuéllar; Albrighton, Herd, Ireland, N'Zogbia (Bannan, 83'); Agbonlahor (Heskey, 48'), Weimann.
0-Sunderland: Mignolet; Bardsley, Turner, Kilgallon, Richardson; O'Shea, Gardner; Larsson, McClean, Sessegnon; Bendtner (Campbell, 80').
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