Sunderland 0 Aston Villa 1 - match analysis

Martin O'Neill chose the build-up to Villa's victory at the Stadium of Light to launch a staunch defence of his tenure at his former club.

In his programme notes the current Sunderland boss claimed his 2009-10 Villa team "finished the Premier League campaign with 64 points, the highest points total the club has achieved in almost 20 years" which he brought up because "there has been a tendency to rewrite history".

In fact, Villa finished runners-up to Manchester United in the Premier League in 1992-93 under Ron Atkinson with 74 points. Now who is it trying to rewrite history again, Martin?

One harsh reality of Villa's current plight is that the cost of O'Neill's spell in charge is still being counted and Paul Lambert has been, paradoxically, the man charged to handle some of the issues created by his mentor.

Already Lambert has cleared out the bulk of over-paid fading players of the O'Neill era and replaced them with a vibrant group of youngsters.

And while there are similarities drawn between the managerial styles of Lambert and O'Neill, undoubtedly the Scot's preference for players he can mould is markedly different from the latter's costly penchant for the here and now.

It will be a long and winding road but Lambert has started to build for the future, to avoid a repeat of their not-so-distant past. It remains to be seen what happens to under-pressure O'Neill.

Certainly the way things are going for Sunderland (one win in 17, no goals in eight hours and nine minutes) it will be O'Neill who will be picking up the phone to Lambert for advice rather than the over way around.

Sunderland had the ball in the net in the fourth minute after ex-Wolves striker Steven Fletcher executed a chipped finish over Brad Guzan but the assistant referee had already flagged for offside.

Villa were dealt a blow in the 11th minute when Joe Bennett limped out of the action and was replaced by Eric Lichaj.

The visitors won a succession of corners in the opening period but the Sunderland defence coped with the aerial threat of Christian Benteke.

Sunderland started to up the ante and Ciaran Clark produced a last-ditch block to deny the lively Stephane Sessegnon a shot at goal in the 27th minute.

Three minutes later the Black Cats carved out another opportunity when Adam Johnson rolled the ball into Lee Cattermole, who lifted his shot from 25 yards over the crossbar.

Andreas Weimann forced Sunderland keeper Simon Mignolet to make his first save of note in the 38th minute when he cut in from the right flank and fizzed a low shot from the corner of the box.

Sunderland started the second half brightly with Johnson, in particular, looking threatening but it was Villa who opened the scoring 12 minutes after the break.

Ashley Westwood played a clever pass into Matthew Lowton on the right flank and the latter's cross was aimed in the direction of Benteke at the back post.

The powerful striker headed the ball back across goal and Gabby Agbonlahor nipped in front of the Sunderland defence to poke the ball into the roof of the net and score his first Premier League goal of 2012.

Despite Lambert's bond with his mentor there is clearly no love lost between the majority of the claret and blue faithful and the Northern Irishman.

"Martin, Martin what's the score?" sang the travelling Villa supporters as they goaded the man who walked out on Villa five days before the start of the season in August 2010.

O'Neill's side pressed in search of an equaliser and referee Mike Jones turned down their appeals for a penalty when Johnson's cross struck Benteke inside the penalty area.

Moments later Villa old boy Craig Gardner scuffed a shot from a good position inside the 18-yard box after he had been found out by Johnson while substitute Louis Saha headed over from close range.

The home side had the majority of possession but Villa always looked dangerous on the break and Weimann forced Mignolet into a diving save in the 76th minute from a counter attack.

Mignolet attempted an overhead clearance shortly afterwards and the ball fell to Agbonlahor but he struck the bar with the goal at his mercy.

Sunderland continued to create chances and Cattermole brought a fine save out of Guzan with a long-range effort but despite a tense finale Villa held to record their first Premier League away win of the season.

It's just a shame we have to wait for the next instalment of this intriguing love triangle between O'Neill, Lambert and Aston Villa Football Club.

By Timothy Abraham