West Ham 0 Aston Villa 0: Sam Allardyce satisfied with a point

Sam Allardyce insisted it was “vital” that West Ham United did not lose another home game after playing out a goalless draw with Aston Villa.

Christian Benteke came closest to scoring for the visitors when his header hit the crossbar, while Jack Collison fired wide for Allardyce’s Hammers.

But the game ended all square as the east London side ended their miserable sequence of three straight defeats at Upton Park.

“After three home defeats on the trot it was very important we didn’t lose,” said Allardyce, whose side are 14th in the Premier League table.

“We tried to win it but we didn’t find the quality to put the ball into the net. We delivered 38 balls into the box, but it’s a spell we are having where we can’t find the net.

“In the last two home games we have conceded three in both so it was vital to get back to keeping clean sheets.

“There’s only one thing missing, and that’s scoring a goal or two, but we are only a small margin away from being a three-point team instead of a one-point team.”