Both challenges merited a booking, but the referee mystifyingly kept his cards in his pocket until his third assault on Alpay.By the time Smith departed, mouthing obscenities and claiming gamesmanship by the Turk, Leeds looked to be on course for their first home victory over Villa since 1995. They led from the 18th minute, after Keane intercepted a backpass by Alan Wright to Schmeichel. With the Dane out of his goal he laid the ball back from the byline to Smith. An angled shot from 15 yards found the net via the thigh of Steve Stone on the line.Villa, who had won on both previous visits to Elland Road, had just been coming into the game. Wright had drawn a sprawling save from Nigel Martyn with a 30-yard drive, followed immediately by a free header which Darius Vassell glanced wide.

But Leeds were the livelier side, Schmeichel having to make a stunning one-handed save to keep out Keane’s header, before the nature of the contest was dramatically changed in the 32nd minute.No sooner had Smith paid for his stupidity than Seth Johnson scythed down Stone and was booked. Johnson’s indiscretion meant he will be suspended for Leeds’ match with Blackburn next month, the day Smith starts a three-match ban, but Villa exacted more immediate retribution. From Paul Merson’s free-kick, Kachloul scored with a textbook scissors kick.The game seemed to be there for the taking for Villa. Yet despite Gregory’s commendable willingness to sacrifice his best attacking midfielder, Hendrie, they showed a wretched lack of ambition and enterprise against 10 men, failing to force a single save from Martyn in the second half.Instead it was O’Leary’s team, shorn of Mark Viduka, Harry Kewell and Lee Bowyer, who nearly snatched all three points in stoppage time. Rio Ferdinand, imperious at the back, met Ian Harte’s free-kick, but with Schmeichel rooted to the spot, his header hit the post.Goals: Smith (18) 1-0; Kachloul (35) 1-1.Leeds United (4-4-2): Martyn 6; Mills 6, Ferdinand 9, Matteo 7, Harte 6; Bakke 6, Batty 7, Johnson 5, Wilcox 5; Keane 5, Smith 3. Substitutes not used: Kelly, Dacourt, McPhail, Duberry, Robinson (gk).Aston Villa (4-4-2): Schmeichel 7; Stone 5, Alpay Ozalan 6, Mellberg 6, Wright 5; Merson 5, Boateng 5, Hendrie 4 (Taylor 4, 50), Kachloul 6; Angel 4 (Dublin 3, 61), Vassell 5.

Substitutes not used: Staunton, Ginola, Enckelman (gk).Referee: N Barry (Scunthorpe) 5.Bookings: Leeds: Johnson, Mills Aston Villa: Hendrie, Wright. Sending off: Leeds: Smith.Man of the match: Ferdinand.Attendance: 40,159.. Sir Alex Ferguson has taken a vow of silence when it comes to media relations, irked by suggestions that his reign is coming to a sticky end. If he hoped his team would do the talking for him, he was hugely disappointed at Highbury yesterday. Most of them barely raised a whisper, while the conclusion to Fabien Barthez’s performance was simply unspeakable.

With 10 minutes remaining the World Cup winner had reason to feel pleased with himself. Beginning in the opening minute, he had made several good saves to keep United on level terms against an impressive Arsenal side Then he made two howlers. First, under little pressure, he sent a clearance straight to the unmarked Thierry Henry at the edge of the area. Henry quickly overcame his surprise to roll the ball into the unguarded net. Four minutes later, coming out to gather a through ball from Patrick Vieira, he unaccountably let it through his hands, enabling Henry to run on and score again.