It's getting spicy. A couple of players come together in the middle and exchange some hard stares at each other before referee Anthony Taylor breaks things up.

Are Villa going to end up regretting all these missed chances?

At the other end they get fortunate when the referee fails to spot a pass back to Emiliano Martinez has gone over the byeline before the keeper makes his clearance.

Almost!

John McGinn's corner is headed down to Ollie Watkins eight yards out, but the England forward is unbalanced and slices a hooked shot over the bar.

John McGinn wins Villa another corner. Will the hosts make their dominance count this time?

Villa have one of the highest backlines in football. Only Tottenham when down to nine men push higher.

Image source, Getty Images

Jamie Carragher
Former Liverpool defender on Sky Sports

That Villa backline is very well drilled with letting the opposition run offside.

The Blades try a rare break upfield but Anis Ben Slimane is a couple of yards offside and the attack fizzles out.

A real waste that.

Sheffield United have kept three clean sheets in their last four Premier League games against Aston Villa (W2 D1 L1), losing the other game 1-0 in September 2020.

Emma Smith
BBC Sport at Villa Park

Sheffield United's intentions are shown by a 20 second period in which Emiliano Martinez had the ball at his feet just outside his area, and not a single player looked to close him down.

They are sitting deep and trying to make life tricky for Villa. How long that can last remains to be seen.

Another great chance for Villa, an opener is just around the corner.

John McGinn whips in a deep curling ball which finds Ezri Konsa who has peeled away from his marker, but the Villa defender can only nod the ball over the bar.

The energy levels have dropped a little. Jacob Ramsey is caught on the halfway line but is quickly back up on his feet.

Better from Villa who drive down the right and Moussa Diaby unleashes a powerful shot from a tight angle which is palmed away by Foderingham.

As Sheffield United try to smash the ball away a clearance strikes the arm of a defender who has his back turned. No penalty again, but rightly so this time. He knew nothing about it.

Fair play to Sheffield United. They have a very clear game plan to sit back, one their opponents are struggling to break down. Douglas Luiz tries to chip a hopeful ball over the top but it goes straight to keeper Wes Foderingham.

Jamie Carragher
Former Liverpool defender on Sky Sports

Jacob Ramsey hasn't been in the Villa team too much of late, but he is a super player.

Image source, Getty Images

Yep, I agree with my fellow journalists. I think VAR has got that one wrong and Aston Villa should have been given a penalty.

Revenge for that ghost goal a few years back? ;)

Emma Smith
BBC Sport at Villa Park

The consensus around the press box is that Villa should have had at least one penalty from that run of VAR calls, particularly for the Vinicius Souza shove on Ollie Watkins.

Villa will just have to put that out of their minds quickly.

Video Assistant Refereepublished at 14 mins

14 mins

Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United

Another VAR penalty check. From the corner the ball may have brushed the hand of a Sheffield United defender.

No penalty again. Play resumes.

NO PENALTYpublished at 12 mins

12 mins

Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United

Anywhere else on the pitch and that's a foul.

But in the area, I guess VAR only overturns if it's "clear and obvious".

Villa aren't happy, Sheffield United and Vinicius Souza are very relieved.

Video Assistant Refereepublished at 11 mins

11 mins

Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United

Penalty shout!

Villa keep coming forward and Lucas Digne plays in a looping cross which Ollie Watkins is underneath, but Vinicius Souza appears to push the Villa forward to the ground before he has a chance to head the ball.

VAR will check it.