On a day when both Chelsea and Liverpool failed to score and were held to draws by Fulham and Newcastle respectively, United could have closed the gap on the top two if they had won.

But with Arsenal losing 3-0 to Manchester City it was Villa who gained as a 0-0 draw at Villa Park moved them above the Gunners.

Friedel said of trying to remain above Arsenal: "It will be very difficult, we are not in the position to look too far ahead.

"We will take one game at a time," he added on Setanta Sports 1.

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Wayne Rooney was guilty of a glaring miss as Martin O'Neill's side ended their long losing sequence against the Red Devils.

United could have cut the deficit to six points but a run of 14 successive victories over Villa came to and end.

Villa defender Martin Laursen told Setanta Sports 1: "I think we played well. I think a draw was a fair result.

"United are a very good team, they play the ball really well and they are difficult to defend against."

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United manager Sir Alex Ferguson claimed the referee was right not to award Villa a second-half penalty when Gabriel Agbonlahor appeared to be pulled back by Nemanja Vidic.

Ferguson told Setanta Sports 1: "He clearly got the ball, he was goal side of the player. Agbonlahor was always going to find it difficult to go around him."

With the draw leaving United eight points behind joint leaders Chelsea and Liverpool, Ferguson admitted drawing with Villa had been a missed chance to close the gap.

But he claimed United could easily close that gap.

"We are capable of going on runs as everyone knows. If we got to within two points or three points by New Year's Day it would give us a great chance."

Ferguson refused to rule out Arsenal in the title race.

He said: "Arsenal have got too much quality to say that. You can't rule Aston Villa out of staying in the top four, they've got a very organised side and teams will find it difficult coming here."

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Villa manager Martin O'Neill praised his side for their efforts.

O'Neill told Setanta Sports 1: "I think we're improving. I think we've got some very talented players.

"I was delighted with the effort of the team and we made it exceptionally difficult for Manchester United."

O'Neill claimed referee Chris Foy had made a mistake when Agbonlahor appeared to be pulled back by Vidic.

"I don't really need to see the replay of it, it's a foul, it's a major decision in the game."

O'Neill admitted he could not judge whether Foy should have awarded a free-kick or penalty but claimed his assistant could have helped out with the decision which the Villa boss warranted a red card.

"I think the referee the referee thought about the consequences of it," claimed O'Neill.

"He's the last man, it's a sending-off offence. It was a big decision and they got it wrong between them."