Villa suffered a frustrating afternoon in front of their home fans as they were held to a goalless draw by Portsmouth.

It was not for a lack of trying on Villa’s part, with Curtis Davies firing narrowly over in the first half and John Carew clipping the top of the crossbar with a header late on.

Yet ultimately Martin O’Neill’s men were unable to find a way through.

Pompey had chances of their own with Traore hitting a post in the first half but neither side could have any real argument over the result.

On the whole, Villa will be pleased to have maintained their unbeaten start in the league at home and the result laid the demons of last year’s defeat to Portsmouth to rest.