Gabriel Agbonlahor lifted the gloom at Aston Villa and piled the pressure on Sunderland with a second-half winner in a 1-0 success at the Stadium of Light.
The win was no more than Villa, who headed north without former Sunderland striker Darren Bent, deserved after turning in a display which belied their lowly position with striker Benteke bullying the home defence and Barry Bannan enjoying plenty of space in midfield. But where the visitors were dynamic, their hosts once again laboured with dangerman Fletcher effectively shackled as Johnson, Larsson and Stephane failed to provide meaningful service for long periods. The response from the locals among a crowd of 41,515 on the final whistle was predictable with O'Neill's men having now won just one of their last 17 league games. And Sunderland's midweek Capital One Cup exit at the hands of Championship Middlesbrough provided further ammunition for those unhappy with a toothless run of form in the league.Respite for Paul Lambert as Gabriel Agbonlahor gives Villa win at Sunderland