Ollie Watkins scored his 11th Premier League goal of the season after Marcus Rashford had struck the crossbar with a free-kick
Struggling Ipswich Town delivered a battling performance to hold Aston Villa to a Premier League draw at Villa Park, despite playing nearly an hour with 10 men.
A largely uneventful first half was brought to life when Ipswich's Axel Tuanzebe brought down Jacob Ramsey on the edge of the penalty area, earning the former Villa defender a second yellow card.
The visitors had defended well up to that point and had to survive heavy pressure early in the second half, but they stunned Villa Park when Liam Delap beat Axel Disasi to Omari Hutchinson's low cross and steered the ball into the far corner.
Amid growing exasperation among the Villa supporters, Ollie Watkins equalised from close range after half-time substitute Marcus Rashford had rattled the crossbar from a free-kick.
Fellow February arrival Marco Asensio blazed over the bar from an excellent position before forcing Ipswich goalkeeper Alex Palmer into a superb one-handed save as Villa pushed for a winner.
Palmer produced another magnificent stop deep into added time after a Rashford cross was deflected towards goal by Conor Townsend, but the visitors held on to claim a share of the spoils.
The point lifts Ipswich above 19th-placed Leicester on goal difference, while Villa climb to ninth.
Deep frustration for below-par Villa
Today we lost a very good opportunity - Emery
Saturday's game was the first in a run of five matches in just 14 days for Unai Emery's team, who face Liverpool, Chelsea and Crystal Palace in the league and Cardiff City in the FA Cup before the end of February.
The Villa boss, who voiced his frustrations at Villa's busy schedule in his programme notes, will have been dismayed to see Boubacar Kamara limp off after just 15 minutes, joining an injury list which already contains fellow defenders Pau Torres, Ezri Konsa and Matty Cash.
Tuanzebe's 40th-minute red card should have ensured a more comfortable afternoon for the home side, but it proved anything but as Villa fell behind to Delap's deft finish before struggling to break down Ipswich's well-organised back line.
Rashford was a lively presence after entering the fray, his thunderous free-kick against the bar leading to Watkins' equaliser midway through the second period.
The Manchester United loanee was also involved in a move which almost led to a last-gasp Villa winner, but Palmer somehow managed to turn Townsend's flick wide of the post and out for a corner, which came to nothing.
The result extends Villa's winless top-flight run to four matches, their last victory coming against Everton at Goodison Park on 15 January.
Palmer shines as Ipswich stand firm
Ipswich show their 'fight' with 1-1 draw at Villa - McKenna
Facing a side who have lost only once at home in the Premier League this season was always going to be a tough task for Ipswich, but it was made even more difficult by Tuanzebe's red card late in the first half.
Ipswich fans had watched their side lose their last four in the top flight, and they could have been forgiven for fearing the worst against a Villa outfit whose last home reverse came against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup in late October.
But after restricting their opponents to very little in the first half, Delap turned home Hutchinson's cross for his 11th Premier League goal of the campaign, stunning the home fans into near-silence.
Watkins' equaliser in the 68th minute set up a nail-biting end to the contest, but the Villa onslaught never fully materialised as the visitors defended in numbers and Palmer - making his Premier League debut at 28 - produced several superb saves to preserve the point.
The February signing also parried a curling Rashford drive wide of the far post, before preventing a Morgan Rogers header from nestling in the back of the net.
With games against Tottenham and Manchester United to come in February, Saturday's impressive draw could provide the confidence boost Town need to pick up further precious points in their battle for survival.
Player of the match
After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.
