Manchester City's march towards the Women's Super League title was stalled somewhat on Sunday as the runaway leaders were held to a 0-0 draw by Aston Villa. Andree Jeglertz's side struggled to create chances against the most porous defence in the division, and if not for some excellent Khiara Keating saves, they may well have fallen to just a third defeat of the campaign.
City were slow out of the blocks following the international break, and Villa almost took the lead through Noelle Maritz, only for her to be denied by a combination of Keating and Kerstin Casparij. The former then had to be on her toes to save Anna Patten's clever near-post flick from the resulting corner.
Keating again came to City's rescue soon after when Kirsty Hanson's own flick almost wrong-footed the England international goalkeeper, and though she was beaten by Chastity Grant seconds later, the post came to her and City's rescue.
City eventually got going late in the first half, and they dominated after the break, and they came close to breaking the deadlock with headers from Rebecca Knaak and Vivianne Miedema, though both were saved with relative ease by Ellie Roebuck in the Villa goal. A late Alex Greenwood corner was then cleared off the line by Grant before Roebuck tipped Sydney Lohmann's teasing cross around the post in stoppage time.
The draw leaves City nine points clear of second-placed Manchester United, though the Red Devils now have a game in hand are are due to welcome their local rivals to Old Trafford in a fortnight's time.
GOAL rates City's players from Villa Park...