Cattermole’s error gifts Aston Villa a precious three points

Sunderland still rooted to the bottom of the table following demoralising home defeat


Sunderland 0 Aston Villa 1

Lee Cattermole likes to portray himself as Sunderland's "Mr Indispensable" but, not for the first time, he self-destructed yesterday. The midfielder's alarming loss of concentration and concession of possession precipitated Gabriel Agbonlahor's winner, crushing cautious Wearside optimism and ensuring Gus Poyet's side remain stuck to the bottom of the table.

'Platform to build on'
Cattermole's mistake presented Agbonlahor with the goal which enables a youthful Aston Villa and their under-scrutiny manager Paul Lambert to approach 2014 with a modicum of renewed hope.

“We’ve got a platform to build on,” said Lambert.

When Cattermole miscontrolled a routine ball on the edge of his area, he was dispossessed by Agbonlahor, who rounded Vito Mannone before shooting home.

Seemingly oblivious to the cold and wet, Lambert stood doggedly in his technical area.

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Cattermole, appeared badly affected by his earlier error. Paolo Di Canio’s nemesis had an afternoon punctuated by subsequent forfeitures of possession and appalling first touches.

Lambert’s decision to combine Agbonlahor’s pace with the newly fit Christian Benteke’s power as Villa reverted to 4-4-2 seriously troubled Sunderland on the counterattack. “Benteke’s back,” said Villa’s manager. “And back on song.”

Poyet withdrew the off-key Cattermole at half-time as Sunderland switched from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2. They had Mannone to thank for brilliantly repelling Leandro Bacuna’s deflected shot but bad luck when Emanuele Giaccherini had a “goal” disallowed for a very tight offside.

The final whistle provoked resounding boos. "It's better that I don't say too much ," said Poyet, who has cancelled a players' day off today.
– (Guardian Service)