Villa will count themselves unlucky to come away from this one with a defeat as in truth they dominated large parts of the game, keeping Sunderland penned back in their own half of the field for the duration of the second half in particular.
With Ashley Young and even Heskey proving constant threats. Sunderland played in well in bursts with once again Al-Muhammadi proving a handful on the wing. However Darren Bent was subdued and found his touch loose on a few occasions, though Cattermole once again managed to balance aggression and competitiveness.
But in defence Sunderland looked nervous and conscious of the pace within the Villa side, Turner in particular had a poor game as he constantly played the ball out of touch or straight back to his opponents.
The decisive goal game in the first half as Steed Malbranque made to it to the touch line and saw his cross put through the back of his own net by Villa's Dunne. Welbeck and Elmohamady both came close to adding to Sunderland's tally in the first half but after the break it was all Villa (although Bent was denied by an excellent challenge by Dunne when set free behind the Villa backline)as Sunderland throw bodies on the line and rode their luck during some vaudeville defending.
So not the level of performance of the last few games but the win will do the side good and Gyan appears to be getting close to full fitness and did enough to suggest a good partnership can develop between him and Bent during his spell on the field during the second half.
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