"We did not create as much as we would have liked but we were very solid in defence and everyone worked really hard to make sure we came away with something," he said.
"Of course it was a big blow to lose Fernando so early on because everyone knows how important he is to us.
"He is one of the best players in the world so you are always going to suffer if he has to leave the field. But after Fernando went off we regrouped and showed a lot of character and I think we deserved a draw.
"It was always going to be difficult because Aston Villa are a good team and they are always tough opponents on their own ground."