Manchester United missed the chance to close the gap on Barclays Premier League leaders Chelsea and Liverpool as Martin O'Neill's side deservedly ended their long-losing sequence against the Red Devils. United could have cut the deficit to six points after the leading two were both held earlier in the day but a run of 14 successive victories over Villa came to an end.
The fit-again Wayne Rooney squandered their best chance when he fired over from close range in the second half.
Villa were bidding to end a run of 25 league matches without a win against United stretching back to the opening day of the 1995-1996 campaign.
Ashley Young tried to pick out an early run from Gabriel Agbonlahor but the pass was slightly over-hit and Nemanja Vidic was able to shepherd the ball through to United 'keeper Edwin van der Sar.
Agbonlahor was on the receiving end of a hefty challenge from behind by Rio Ferdinand but shook it off and was on the end of the first chance of the game.
A long free-kick by Luke Young was headed on by Villa skipper Martin Laursen and the first time effort from Agbonlahor was hit straight at Van der Sar.
The tackles were flying in during the early stages with Cristiano Ronaldo, Agbonlahor and Ashley Young given little time on the ball.
Agbonlahor, Gareth Barry and Ashley Young combined well down the left with some first time passing and speed of movement and the eventual low cross from the latter forced a corner.
meaningful action
Villa 'keeper Brad Friedel was called into meaningful action for the first time after 14 minutes to turn aside a swerving drive from Ronaldo who had cut inside Nigel Reo-Coker with ease.
United appealed in vain for a penalty after a collision between Carlos Tevez and Gareth Barry.
Van der Sar went down at his left hand post to comfortable save a 20 yarder from Reo-Coker after he had made a powerful break from the half-way line.
Reo-Coker was adjudged to have brought down Ronaldo in a dangerous position 25 yards out but the Portuguese player's free-kick thumped into the defensive wall.
The Red Devils were now enjoying the majority of the possession and Ji-Sung Park beat Luke Young but drilled his low cross straight at Friedel.
Ronaldo fouled Petrov in an area ideal for the free-kick skills of Ashley Young in a central position but it was James Milner who stepped forward and scuffed his shot across the face of goal.
For all the purpose being shown by both sides in a lively encounter, defences were relatively untroubled in the opening half hour and Van der Sar easily claimed a floated free-kick from Barry.
Villa were struggling to bring Agbonlahor into the game with Ferdinand and Vidic having little to concern them from the player who made his England debut against Germany in midweek.
Ronaldo summed up proceedings by curling a free-kick well wide when in another promising position after Petrov had fouled Park.
