BIRMINGHAM, England -- Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel made a record 167th consecutive Premier League appearance on Saturday, keeping a third straight clean sheet as his team drew 0-0 with Fulham.
The 37-year-old American, who started the streak in August 2004 with Blackburn, overtook the previous record set by Portsmouth goalkeeper David James in April.
"It's always nice to get personal achievements in the game, but that's not why I play," Friedel said. "It's a team sport and if the truth be told I would have preferred to have got the three points here today instead of the point."
Former United States teammate Clint Dempsey looked most likely to spoil Friedel's landmark occasion. The Fulham midfielder attempted a lob from 20 yards just before halftime, but Friedel backtracked and tipped over. With 15 minutes to go, Friedel stopped Dempsey's shot from a tight angle.
"It was the only time he was really troubled," Villa manager Martin O'Neill said.
Work permit issues forced Friedel to bounce around Europe and the United States -- playing for Galatasary, Brondby and the Columbus Crew -- before finally joining Liverpool in December 1997.
He struggled to start in the Anfield team and in 2000 joined Blackburn, where he spent eight years before seeking a new challenge at Villa.
"It is remarkable in this day and age, whether you are a 'keeper or not, to play that number of games consecutively. It is fantastic," O'Neill said before the match. "Well done to him. During the last eight or nine years, from leaving Liverpool to the career he has had at Blackburn, Brad Friedel has been so consistent.
"Last year was maybe his best ever season and he wants to try and emulate that this year for us."
Friedel also played 82 games for the United States between 1992-2004.
"I have been fortunate with injuries, touch wood, and when I have got the odd knock it has always seemed to coincide with international breaks," Friedel said before the match. "Since I retired from international football, I have managed to rest up between domestic games, too."
Friedel believes that Villa and American owner Randy Lerner, who also owns the NFL's Cleveland Browns, are capable of staying in one of the four Champions League spots until the end of the season.
"There's a lot of eagerness for us to go on and win games and a lot of people anticipate us to beat most teams and we come to the ground full of confidence as well," Friedel said. "We are starting to build something here and the way the manager and the chairman have a very good relationship, what they want to do and where they want to take the football club is one of the reasons why I signed.
"They are going about their business trying to make this club as big as ever."
