Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips was denied by the woodwork from staking an early claim for a place in new stand-in England coach Peter Taylor's plans as the Premiership game at Villa Park ended goalless.
Phillips has had to kick his heels under Kevin Keegan and Howard Wilkinson at international level.
But he could have done no more, apart from actually hitting the target, to convince Taylor he should give him a chance in next month's friendly international in Italy.
Phillips was by far the best striker on show, constantly troubling Villa with his runs and awareness in the danger area.
Villa's approach work was often excellent and, as on most occasions this season, it was Paul Merson who provided the craft and guile with his probing passes.
But that lack of a cutting edge which is threatening to undermine Villa's push for a European spot again reared its head.
Julian Joachim troubled the visitors with his pace but he was short of composure where it mattered most, in front of goal, while Dion Dublin looks a shadow of his former self since his broken neck last December.
For Sunderland Kevin Kilbane posed all sorts of problems down the right flank for Alan Wright.
There was little to enthuse about in the early stages although Villa goalkeeper David James had to deal with a curling effort from Phillips.
Sunderland began the second half in a positive vein and a through ball from Niall Quinn found Kilbane who out-paced Alan Wright and saw his powerful shot turned away by James.
Villa tried to retaliate and the otherwise subdued Dublin was only just too high with a right-footed volley from a Gareth Barry centre.
ASTON VILLA: James, Southgate, Alpay, Barry, Wright, Stone, Merson, Taylor, Hendrie (Boateng 73), Dublin (Vassell 70), Joachim. Subs Not Used: De Bilde, Samuel, Enckelman. Booked: Southgate.
SUNDERLAND: Sorensen, Makin, Craddock, Thome, Gray, Kilbane, Rae, Williams, Arca, Quinn, Phillips (Hutchison 90). Subs Not Used: Macho, Dichio, Thirlwell, Reddy. Booked: Rae, Phillips, Arca.
Referee: P Jones (Loughborough).
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