Those bans look all the more costly after the injuries suffered last night by Jonathan Woodgate and Seth Johnson, both of whom are doubtful for the Liverpool game. Olivier Dacourt, Robbie Keane and Harry Kewell are all on the way back, but were not considered ready to start at Stamford Bridge, though the latter two appeared as substitutes. An important week for Leeds began badly with a poor performance on a night when the three teams immediately above them ­ like Manchester United the previous evening ­ moved further away. Top of the Premiership as recently as New Year’s Day, they have not won since, and will now entertain Liverpool on Sunday having taken one point from the last three League matches, all against Championship rivals. After his sinus operation last week, the Leeds United manager, David O’Leary, had his nose put out of joint again last night by a combination of his own team’s inadequacy and Chelsea’s renewed confidence. But with the players unavailable it was good to get something from the game and I’m pleased with a point.”The best chances of the first half fell to Duncan Ferguson, who had a header saved, and Campbell, who blasted over Villa’s best spell came shortly after the break. Paul Merson, who had earlier thrown his hat into the ring as an outsider candidate to succeed Gregory as manager, came closest to scoring after an opportunist dribble.

He passed two opponents before unleashing a fierce shot from the edge of the box. It crashed off the crossbar and into the stands.Merson then shot over, Mark Delaney chipped over, and at the other end Jlloyd Samuel did well to thwart a Danny Cadamarteri break. The half-time substitute Dion Dublin then spurned another Villa chance, heading well over. Jeers of “Ellis Out” rang around the ground, the pitch invader came and went and the referee mercifully blew for time.Aston Villa (4-4-2): Encklelman 5; Delaney 7, Mellberg 5, Staunton 5, Samuel 6; Hadji 4, Boateng 5, Hendrie 4 (Kachloul 5, 75), Merson 7; Vassell 4 (Dublin 4, h-t), Angel 4 Substitutes not used: Myhill (gk), Stone, Barry.

“On reflection we ended up with the better opportunities,” Smith said “So I’m disappointed. Campbell then dallied between his assigned role and one further upfield, the result being that Villa had the run of the middle third of the pitch Not that they made any telling use of it. The unconventional deployment of such attacking options was understandably confusing and Everton spent 20 minutes apparently trying to work out where they were. Four strikers started, with two of them ­ Joe-Max Moore and Kevin Campbell ­ in midfield. He was forced to give a start, for example, to the former England Under-19 captain, Peter Clarke, in for David Weir, whose wife was due to give birth Paul Gascoigne, with a calf strain, was among others out.