Tottenham 0 Aston Villa 0: Tottenham's quest for Champions League football faltered as they were held by Aston Villa at White Hart Lane.

The home side had most of the game but were defied by dogged defending by Villa, who had Gareth Barry sent off after two yellow cards for fouls on Aaron Lennon inside the last eight minutes.

Despite missing muscular Egyptian striker Mido, who was on African Nations Cup duty, Tottenham made nearly all the running but were foiled by a stern defensive effort and four excellent saves by Thomas Sorensen. Jermain Defoe started only his second match in the last 12 for the home side as replacement for Mido as the north London team looked to cement fourth place in the Premiership after successive defeats - including an FA Cup exit.

With Paul Stalteri suspended, Stephen Kelly was brought in at full-back while Villa boss David O'Leary called up Lee Hendrie, a goalscoring substitute last week against West Ham, to replace midfielder Eirik Bakke - who has returned to Leeds after a loan. Colombian Juan Pablo Angel got the vote up front for Villa alongside Milan Baros with Barry returning to the defence after a one-match ban.

Spurs took six minutes to raise the first shot after good work by Edgar Davids to plunder possession and set up a decent effort by Defoe, who saw Sorensen fall on his low drive. Two minutes later Davids drilled a dangerous attempt into the sidenetting - another reminder to Villa they conceded five goals at White Hart Lane last season and would have to be careful against nimble front men Defoe and Robbie Keane.

Kelly slipped Jermaine Jenas through to fire over a low cross in the 17th minute which Sorensen did well to hold, before Jenas found another path through on the right but shot off-target. A spectacular break by Davids took him from one penalty box to another after Villa had enjoyed a brief spell of pressure but he was crowded out before he could shoot.

The move inspired Spurs though and when Michael Carrick played a deft ball through in the 28th minute Teemu Tainio lobbed over Sorensen - but the Dane scrambled back to turn the ball over when a goal looked certain. Captain Olof Mellberg came to Villa's rescue in the 32nd minute when Defoe, who had just failed to gather a half chance a few moments earlier, put his head down and charged in on goal - only to be well tackled by the defender.

Just before half-time Jenas was carried off after a clash of heads with Angel, to be replaced by Lennon. The teams went in at the interval on level terms - with the half ending shortly after Davids had seen a shot in the fifth minute of time added on blocked after Carrick had tapped a free-kick to him.

Tainio went close with a header at the start of the second half and it needed a well-timed tackle by Barry to prevent the same player getting in a low shot soon after. Davids was furious with Mark Delaney when the Villa defender cynically fouled him and Defoe had to step in to make sure the Dutchman did not lose his temper completely.

Referee Graham Poll produced a yellow card for Baros in the 58th minute when he hauled down Davids from behind. Davids hobbled off for treatment just after the hour and - despite returning to the pitch - soon headed down the tunnel to be replaced by Michael Brown.

Defoe tried his luck from 30 yards but it was desperation stuff and flew straight into Sorensen's arms. Lennon drifted past two challenges to lob a far-post cross which nobody could reach, then was denied by another timely Mellberg tackle as he was set to shoot.

Tottenham used a third substitute when Grzegorz Rasiak replaced Defoe with 14 minutes left and two minutes later they were defied, when Sorensen dived full-stretch to push aside Carrick's 25-yard effort. After Barry's dismissal, O'Leary took off substitute Luke Moore - introduced a few minutes earlier for Baros - and replaced him with Jlloyd Samuel.

The game finished with Villa on the back foot, with Sorensen making another great save from Brown in stoppage time, but the visitors got their point.