Brighton 0-0 Aston Villa: Emiliano Martinez stars as Brighton left frustrated

Brighton were left frustrated as they had to settle for a goalless home draw against Aston Villa despite creating a multitude of good chances.

Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez starred, denying Alexis Mac Allister, Dan Burn and Joel Veltman with fine saves.

Brighton also extend their unbeaten run to six matches in the league.

Villa sit eighth in the table, level on points with Tottenham and just four points off fourth-placed Liverpool having played two games fewer.

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Brighton dominate but lack clinical finish

Brighton went into this match in top form, having beaten Liverpool at Anfield and drawn with Burnley at Turf Moor earlier this month.

They started on top at the Amex too - dominating possession and utilising space on the right as Veltman was able to test the Villa defence with several dangerous crosses.

Neal Maupay spurned a chance and Mac Allister came close with a header, before Villa eventually created a half-chance of their own when Douglas Luiz's shot was deflected wide on 18 minutes.

The visitors did have a bright spell midway through the opening half but Brighton were the better team and Burn's header would have given them a deserved lead were it not for the agility of Martinez to push it around the post with his fingertips.

Brighton had 12 shots in the first half, and only Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier (52) has been forced into more saves in away league games this season than Villa's Martinez (47), who had to make nine here.

But as the game wore on, Brighton's frustrations grew and Martinez became even harder to beat.

Mac Allister, Veltman and substitute Danny Welbeck all came close again while Leandro Trossard also fired wide but Brighton had to settle for a draw which leaves them in 15th place, though a comfortable 11 points clear of the relegation zone.

Martinez proves his worth again

Villa, while second best throughout this match having struggled to really get going, came away with another valuable point as they continue to put pressure on those above them fighting for European places.

Dean Smith's side have kept more clean sheets on the road than any other side this season and only leaders Manchester City have conceded fewer away goals.

And while they did not pose much of a threat against Brighton, with the in-form Jack Grealish and Ollie Watkins working tirelessly, they remained competitive.

Ross Barkley's tame effort early in the second half was Villa's only shot on target.

But with goalkeeper Martinez proving his worth once again - he has now kept seven clean sheets in away games in the Premier League this season - Villa were able to hold out for the point.

'We were bang average' - what they said

Brighton boss Graham Potter to BBC Sport: "It is frustrating but pleasing because the performance was very good and we did everything but score. We had shots, had attacks and reduced Villa's attacking players. We are disappointed with just the one point.

"Their goalkeeper made some really good saves and has been an important player for them. That is football but the overall performance - we had enough shots, attacks and goes at them to score, just not that last little luck you need."

Aston Villa boss Dean Smith to BBC Sport: "We were bang average. I have not seen us make so many enforced errors. We needed our goalkeeper - he had a good game.

"We showed a little resilience and our keeper played well but I can't take much more from it. It was a fighting performance.

"He's a fantastic goalkeeper, a great acquisition for Aston Villa, but in the other 12 clean sheets he's kept this season he's been protected really well.

"He was called into action too much today, and it was a one-man show at times, such was the sloppiness of our play."

A first since 1981 - the best of the stats

• Brighton have gone unbeaten in six consecutive top-flight games for the first time since a run of eight ending in November 1981.
• The last seven league games in which Brighton have hosted Aston Villa have seen just eight goals scored in total, with neither side managing to score more than one goal in a game in this run (one win each, five draws).
• Martinez has kept seven away clean sheets in the Premier League this season - the only Aston Villa goalkeeper to register more away shutouts in a single campaign in the competition was Brad Friedel in 2009-10 (8).
• Despite only coming on in the 62nd minute, no player created more chances in the match than Brighton's Adam Lallana (4).

What's next?

Brighton welcome Crystal Palace to the Amex on Monday, 22 February (20:00 GMT), while Aston Villa host Leicester City a day earlier (14:00 GMT).

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