Sunderland 0 Aston Villa 2:MARTIN O'NEILL had warned his team to expect a "rough, tough night" on Wearside but with James Milner just one of several visiting players in imperious form, such fears proved almost wholly unfounded. Instead Aston Villa's devastating attacking pace, elusive midfield movement and defensive solidity enabled them to virtually waltz beyond Sunderland. On the final whistle Villa rose to third in the Premier League.
At times the movement of James Milner and Stewart Downing left Sunderland chasing shadows as Milner used his new central-midfield platform to provide Ashley Young, Emile Heskey and company with some defence-splitting passes to run on to. Unfortunately for the home fans, George McCartney was proving a weak link at left-back and when he dispatched a pass across the face of goal it proved impossible for Lorik Cana to reach.Milner seized possession before feeding Heskey. Left one-on-one against Marton Fulop, Villa’s centre-forward did his hopes of joining England’s World Cup party next summer no harm by squeezing a shot just inside the post.
The game was 24 minutes old and Villa had earlier hit the bar courtesy of a Downing free-kick. Fulop looked mighty relieved to see Stilian Petrov make a hash of polishing off the inviting rebound.
With Richard Dunne making a mockery of Mark Hughes’s decision to move him out of Manchester City last summer, Kenwyne Jones and Darren Bent were struggling to dent Martin O’Neill’s backline.
At least young Jordan Henderson and Andy Reid were demonstrating Villa’s midfield did not quite have the monopoly on touch and laser-like deliveries. Brad Friedel’s reflexes needed to be at their very best when saving Reid’s shot following the Irishman’s connection with his fellow midfielder’s cross.
As half-time approached Reid and Henderson were involved in Sunderland’s better moves but such efforts were undermined by Cana’s need to tread carefully, the Albanian having being booked for a foul on Gabriel Agbonlahor.
Bruce elected to make no changes at the interval and McCartney nearly atoned for earlier errors by initiating a counter-attack. Flicked on by Bent, it left Reid with Friedel to beat but even though the ball fell to his preferred left foot the midfielder was stretching and duly miscued.
Shortly afterwards Ashley Young struck a post. Villa had discovered their second wind and O’Neill was dancing with joy as Milner capitalised on Kieran Richardson’s failure to retain possession by controlling the ball with one touch and, from fully 25 yards, directing it, right-footed, into the top corner with the second.
Cana was then sent off after a second yellow card for a tackle on Milner.
SUNDERLAND: Fulop, Nosworthy, Turner (Mensah 82), Da Silva, McCartney, Henderson (Cattermole 71), Cana, Richardson, Reid, Bent, Jones (Bardsley 82). Subs Not Used: Carson, Malbranque, Campbell, Healy. Sent Off: Cana (79). Booked: Cana, McCartney.
ASTON VILLA: Friedel, Luke Young, Cuellar, Dunne, Warnock, Ashley Young, Petrov, Milner, Downing, Heskey, Agbonlahor (Sidwell 90). Subs Not Used: Guzan, Carew, Delph, Reo-Coker, Beye, Collins. Booked: Milner, Luke Young.
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).
