Taylor defends tactics

"With the position we are in, it was very important for us to be as tight as we could be," he said after the 1-1 draw at Villa Park.

"We were playing the best side in this country on the counter-attack and one of the best sides in Europe.

"If you lost the ball on the edge of your opponents' penalty area, count up to five and it is in the back of your net.

"You have to do something to try and combat that. If you leave yourself open to them, you are courting disaster.

"It was an important point for us."