Chelsea ties Aston Villa 0-0
(AP)Updated: 2007-01-03 08:55
LONDON - Chelsea failed to gain ground on Premier League leader Manchester United on Tuesday, settling for a 0-0 tie at Aston Villa on Tuesday.
The Blues had most of the chances at Villa Park but remained six points behind United, which tied 2-2 at Newcastle on Monday.
"Six points at the end of this disgraceful period is not bad," Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said. "And the way they fought, we are leaving with a lot of hopes for the second part of the season."
United leads with 54 points. Liverpool is third with 40, one point ahead of Arsenal after the Gunners thrashed Charlton 4-0 behind Thierry Henry, who scored one goal and set up another in his first game since November.
Didier Drogba could have put Chelsea ahead in the eighth minute, but the Ivory Coast striker drove his volley off Michael Essien's cross over the crossbar.
Ashley Cole sent a first-half header into goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly's hands. The defending champions applied the pressure through the last 10 minutes, with Frank Lampard's shot from close range flying over the bar.
In the Arsenal-Charlton game, Henry put his team ahead in the 29th minute in a penalty kick after Osei Sankofa was red carded for a foul on Robin van Persie. Henry then set up Justin Hoyte in the 45th for the defender's first goal with the Gunners.
Van Persie completed the rout over 10-man Charlton with a penalty kick in the 74th and a chip during injury time. The loss was Charlton manager Alan Pardew's first in three games since becoming coach Dec. 24. Charlton remains in 19th with 16 points.
Henry had been out with a back injury, and Arsenal lost only one of seven league games in his absence.
"It was a boost (Henry's return), individually and psychologically," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "If you look at our results over the past five weeks, we've been consistent. ... We want to continue that."
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