With just three wins from their combined eight matches before the meeting at Villa Park, neither side looked especially threatening in a game of few opportunities.

Manuel Pellegrini's visitor was the stronger for the first hour but forced Villa goalkeeper Tom Heaton into only one save, and Masuaku's unfortunate second yellow card for a foul on Ahmed El Mohamady left it facing an uphill battle.

Wesley spurned a good opening in the first half but offered little threat in the closing stages as Villa chased a winner, with Jack Grealish wasting the best opening when he made a mess of Douglas Luiz's excellent cross.

Villa had penalty shouts waved away in injury time when Wesley tumbled to ground in a crowded box, before Tyrone Mings - who was earlier involved in an ugly argument with team-mate Anwar El Ghazi - was spared after a risky challenge on Ryan Fredericks as the full-back broke forward.

Dean Smith's side moves onto four points from five games and it is only outside the relegation zone on goal difference, while the Hammers are one of six teams in the top half on eight points.