Aston Villa's Richard Dunne Helps Hold Manchester City In Premier League Draw

Aston Villa and Manchester City battled out a 1-1 draw at Villa Park on Monday night as Craig Bellamy helped City come from behind for a share of the spoils.

After being let go this summer by Manchester City, Richard Dunne came back to haunt his former employers with the game's opening goal.

Dunne, who spent nine loyal years in the Eastlands, leapt above Gareth Barry after 15 minutes to give Villa an early advantage and temporarily halted City's charge towards the league's top.

But Bellamy ensured City maintained their strong start to the season, netting an equalizer 20 minutes from time to lift Mark Hughes' men into the top four of the Barclays Premier League.

The draw lifts Villa above Sunderland and into seventh place, two points behind Liverpool and Arsenal, with one game in hand.

Villa threatened the City goal after less than 90 seconds when Gabby Agbonlahor flicked on a corner at the near post.

The deft touch took a nick off of Zabaleta, but Shay Given managed to keep it out with his left knee as he dove to his right.

There was little between the clubs in the opening 10 minutes, with City striker Adebayor twice threatening Brad Friedel's goal after Bellamy's pace caused Carlos Cuellar problems.

At the other end, James Milner dragged a shot wide from 20 yards for the hosts after Ashley Young cut inside and squarded the ball along the edge of the box.

In an energetic match featuring end-to-end action, it was an emotional night for two players on opposite sides of the pitch who were squaring off against friends they left behind just a few months ago.

Barry, who made 440 appearances for Villa over the last decade, was booed every time he touched the ball in his return to the midlands.

By contrast, Republic of Ireland international Dunne came into the fixture unsure of the reaction he would receive following his £6 million transfer just five weeks ago.

It wouldn't take long to find out.

Respectful

Dunne's post-goal celebration was dignified, with O'Neill's summer signing choosing to walk away and accept the plaudits of his teammates rather than boast in front of the traveling fans.

The celebration was in stark contrast to that of counterpart Adebayor, who ran the full length of the pitch two weeks' ago to taunt the Arsenal fans—those who chanted his name during his time with the Gunners.

In a show of appreciation and respect, the City fans responded to Dunne's muted celebration with a polite spatter of mutual applause.

Adebayor came close to an equalizer five minutes before the break when he beat Sidwell and Cuellar and headed Barry's free-kick towards goal.

Fortunately for the Villa fans watching nervously from behind Friedel's goal at the Holt End, Adebayor's header lacked direction and was turned over the crossbar comfortably.

It was Adebayor who had the first chance of the second half for City as he looked to continue his personal run of scoring in all four league matches he has played in this season.

Barry turned his man inside out and whipped a cross in from the left hand side of the penalty box in between Dunne and Friedel. Dunne could not get a touch on the ball to turn it behind, and Adebayor was just a half-step away from being on hand to steer it home at the back post.

James Milner almost made it 2-0 with a fierce shot from the angle of the penalty box moments later following a well-weighted pass from Sidwell.

Pressure

City maintained their pressure in the first 15 minutes of the second half and was finally rewarded with a 67th-minute equalizer.

Bellamy scored from eight yards out after good work from Shaun Wright-Phillips and Stephen Ireland down the right-hand flank.

Ireland played in Adebayor who had raced behind Dunne. The striker rolled the ball across the six-yard box to Bellamy who tapped it past a helpless Friedel.

It was no more than the visitors deserved, breaking down a defense which had conceded just five goals—the fewest in the league—heading into Monday's game.

Both sides pushed for a winner in the closing minutes, but neither could break the deadlock.

It was a game neither side deserved to lose, and even though neither club made significant progress towards Chelsea at the top of the tree, a draw was a fair result.