Last Season ...
ASTON VILLA 6 SUNDERLAND 1
22. Simon Mignolet 2. Phil Bardsley 16. John O'Shea 24. Carlos Cuellar 3. Danny Rose 7. Sebastian Larsson 61' 4. Alfred N'Diaye 8. Craig Gardner 86' 21. Adam Johnson 28. Stephane Sessegnon 9. Danny Graham 85'
Subs: 20. Keiren Westwood 12. Matthew Kilgallon 14. Jack Colback 15. David Vaughan 86' 18. Kader Mangane 23. James McClean 61' 30. Mikael Mandron 85'
Christian Benteke scored a second-half hat-trick as Aston Villa roared to their biggest win since 2008 as they beat Sunderland 6-1 and zoomed five points clear of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone.
As they celebrated their success over a Sunderland outfit whose shuddering halt to their mini-revival included a red card for Stephane Sessegnon, the home fans wasted no time in taunting Paolo di Canio, who, when he came here with Swindon earlier this season, indicated Villa were on their way down.
Instead, Di Canio's Sunderland outfit, like Villa and Newcastle, are on 37 points.
It is not a secure position by any means. But the team most obviously affected by this amazing result are FA Cup finalists Wigan, who have now been cut adrift, and have only four matches left to do something about it.
PFA Young Player of the Year nominee Benteke might have added the second-half gloss but the touchpaper to a thrilling evening had been lit by a pair of memorable strikes from two players who would have had the longest odds to score first.
If you are going to wait until the dregs of April to score your first goal of the season, it is best to make it worth the wait.
In that regard, both Ron Vlaar and Danny Rose fulfilled their obligations.
Both were different. Both were high class, in keeping with a thoroughly absorbing contest which, if lacking in finesse, was rip-roaring entertainment nonetheless.
Vlaar's effort was brutal.
After a couple of brave blocks inside the Sunderland penalty area, the ball shot back towards the halfway line, where Vlaar collected on the edge of the centre circle, the invitation to advance clear.The big Dutchman surged forward but was still fully 30 yards out when he let fly.
In theory, the flick off Carlos Cueller should have made it easier to stop, as it took the shot away from the corner and further towards the middle of Simon Mignolet's goal.
The problem was Vlaar had got so much power into his effort Mignolet was a bystander anyway, the Villa team racing away to celebrate as one as it ripped into the net.
For a crowd who could not be faulted for their backing, but whose worries were never far from the surface, it was a moment of ecstasy.
Typically, it was followed almost immediately by the nausea of fear.
As Rose set off from his left back berth, there didn't seem much for Villa to worry about.
But after first exchanging passes with Craig Gardner, then Danny Graham, Rose powered on into the box, delivering a superb finish that brought the visitors level.
Di Canio, soaked by the constant rain, turned to the Villa fans he never got the better of as a player, and merely opened his arms in supreme satisfaction.
It summed up Villa's season.
Nineteen games they have gone now since their last Premier League clean sheet, which doesn't leave Paul Lambert having to look far for the reasons why his side have been in such a precarious position for so long.
Yet for all their faults, Lambert's youngsters have so much character.
Rather than nervously hang about, Matthew Lowton picked his moment to make an astute interception before firing forward at top speed.
Sunderland were caught with too many men forward, Lowton delivered a fine crossfield pass and an unmarked Andreas Weimann did the rest.
Guzan might have had a bit of luck when Graham was penalised for knocking a ball out of his hands when TV replays suggested he had lost control of anyway before former Villa man Craig Gardner turned it home - but it was hard to begrudge them that slice of fortune, so industrious had they been.
And 10 minutes into the second period, Villa had a third as Mignolet was deceived by Agbonlahor's piledriver and Benteke, onside, was all alone to nod the rebound into an empty net.
The Belgian has been the undoubted bright spot of a grim season for the Midlands giants.
And he had only just got started on his evening's work as he rose above Carlos Cueller to steer home a far post header before driving his third past a shellshocked Mignolet, his 22nd goal of an incredible campaign that is likely to make him the subject of intense transfer interest in the summer, whether Villa survive or not.
In between, Sessegnon was dismissed for a tackle that flattened Yacouba Sylla and left Di Canio raging.
The Italian's frustrations should have been reserved for his own side's abject surrender, their misery complete in the final minute as Gabriel Agbonlahor raced round Mignolet to end the rout.
SUNDERLAND v VILLA
2012/2013 Mon 29 Apr Aston Villa 6 - 1 Sunderland Premier League
Sat 03 Nov Sunderland 0 - 1 Aston Villa Premier League
2011/2012 Sat 21 Apr Aston Villa 0 - 0 Sunderland Premier League
Sat 29 Oct Sunderland 2 - 2 Aston Villa Premier League
2010/2011 Wed 05 Jan Aston Villa 0 - 1 Sunderland Premier League
Sat 23 Oct Sunderland 1 - 0 Aston Villa Premier League
2009/2010 Wed 24 Mar Aston Villa 1 - 1 Sunderland Premier League
Tue 15 Dec Sunderland 0 - 2 Aston Villa Premier League
Tue 27 Oct Sunderland 0 - 0 Aston Villa League Cup
after extra time, Aston Villa won 3-1 on penalties
2008/2009 Sat 17 Jan Sunderland 1 - 2 Aston Villa Premier League
Sat 27 Sep Aston Villa 2 - 1 Sunderland Premier League
2007/2008 Sat 22 Mar Aston Villa 0 - 1 Sunderland Premier League
Sat 15 Dec Sunderland 1 - 1 Aston Villa Premier League
2005/2006 Sun 07 May Aston Villa 2 - 1 Sunderland Premiership
Sat 19 Nov Sunderland 1 - 3 Aston Villa Premiership
2002/2003 Sat 03 May Aston Villa 1 - 0 Sunderland Premiership
Sat 28 Sep Sunderland 1 - 0 Aston Villa Premiership
2001/2002 Tue 01 Jan Sunderland 1 - 1 Aston Villa Premiership
Sun 16 Sep Aston Villa 0 - 0 Sunderland Premiership
2000/2001 Mon 05 Mar Sunderland 1 - 1 Aston Villa Premiership
Sun 22 Oct Aston Villa 0 - 0 Sunderland Premiership
1999/2000 Sat 29 Apr Aston Villa 1 - 1 Sunderland Premiership
Mon 18 Oct Sunderland 2 - 1 Aston Villa Premiership
1996/1997 Sat 01 Feb Aston Villa 1 - 0 Sunderland Premiership
Sat 26 Oct Sunderland 1 - 0 Aston Villa Premiership
1993/1994 Tue 26 Oct Sunderland 1 - 4 Aston Villa League Cup
1990/1991 Sat 23 Mar Sunderland 1 - 3 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 06 Oct Aston Villa 3 - 0 Sunderland First Division
1984/1985 Sat 04 May Sunderland 0 - 4 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 01 Dec Aston Villa 1 - 0 Sunderland First Division
1983/1984 Sat 24 Mar Sunderland 0 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
Mon 29 Aug Aston Villa 1 - 0 Sunderland First Division
1982/1983 Sat 15 Jan Sunderland 2 - 0 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 28 Aug Aston Villa 1 - 3 Sunderland First Division
1981/1982 Tue 02 Feb Aston Villa 1 - 0 Sunderland First Division
Wed 02 Sep Sunderland 2 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
1980/1981 Sat 07 Mar Sunderland 1 - 2 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 04 Oct Aston Villa 4 - 0 Sunderland First Division
1976/1977 Wed 23 Mar Aston Villa 4 - 1 Sunderland First Division
Sat 16 Oct Sunderland 0 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
1974/1975 Sat 26 Apr Aston Villa 2 - 0 Sunderland Second Division
Sat 19 Oct Sunderland 0 - 0 Aston Villa Second Division
1973/1974 Sat 20 Apr Aston Villa 1 - 2 Sunderland Second Division
Sat 08 Dec Sunderland 2 - 0 Aston Villa Second Division
1972/1973 Sat 04 Nov Sunderland 2 - 2 Aston Villa Second Division
Wed 27 Sep Aston Villa 2 - 0 Sunderland Second Division
1966/1967 Tue 27 Dec Aston Villa 2 - 1 Sunderland First Division
Mon 26 Dec Sunderland 2 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
1965/1966 Wed 15 Sep Sunderland 2 - 0 Aston Villa First Division
Mon 06 Sep Aston Villa 3 - 1 Sunderland First Division
1964/1965 Mon 14 Sep Aston Villa 2 - 1 Sunderland First Division
Wed 09 Sep Sunderland 2 - 2 Aston Villa First Division
1959/1960 Mon 31 Aug Aston Villa 3 - 0 Sunderland Second Division
Wed 26 Aug Sunderland 1 - 0 Aston Villa Second Division
1957/1958 Sat 11 Jan Aston Villa 5 - 2 Sunderland First Division
Sat 07 Sep Sunderland 1 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
1956/1957 Mon 08 Apr Aston Villa 2 - 2 Sunderland First Division
Tue 25 Dec Sunderland 1 - 0 Aston Villa First Division
1955/1956 Mon 29 Aug Aston Villa 1 - 4 Sunderland First Division
Wed 24 Aug Sunderland 5 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
1954/1955 Wed 01 Sep Sunderland 0 - 0 Aston Villa First Division
Mon 23 Aug Aston Villa 2 - 2 Sunderland First Division
1953/1954 Fri 01 Jan Sunderland 2 - 0 Aston Villa First Division
Mon 14 Sep Aston Villa 3 - 1 Sunderland First Division
1952/1953 Thu 01 Jan Sunderland 2 - 2 Aston Villa First Division
Mon 01 Sep Aston Villa 3 - 0 Sunderland First Division
1951/1952 Wed 05 Sep Sunderland 1 - 3 Aston Villa First Division
Mon 27 Aug Aston Villa 2 - 1 Sunderland First Division
1950/1951 Wed 30 Aug Sunderland 3 - 3 Aston Villa First Division
Mon 21 Aug Aston Villa 3 - 1 Sunderland First Division
1949/1950 Sat 01 Apr Sunderland 2 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 12 Nov Aston Villa 2 - 0 Sunderland First Division
1948/1949 Tue 19 Apr Aston Villa 1 - 1 Sunderland First Division
Fri 15 Apr Sunderland 0 - 0 Aston Villa First Division
1947/1948 Mon 01 Sep Aston Villa 2 - 0 Sunderland First Division
Wed 27 Aug Sunderland 0 - 0 Aston Villa First Division
1946/1947 Tue 08 Apr Aston Villa 4 - 0 Sunderland First Division
Fri 04 Apr Sunderland 4 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
1938/1939 Tue 27 Dec Aston Villa 1 - 1 Sunderland First Division
Mon 26 Dec Sunderland 1 - 5 Aston Villa First Division
1935/1936 Wed 01 Jan Sunderland 1 - 3 Aston Villa First Division
Mon 16 Sep Aston Villa 2 - 2 Sunderland First Division
1934/1935 Wed 06 Feb Sunderland 3 - 3 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 15 Sep Aston Villa 1 - 1 Sunderland First Division
1933/1934 Sat 03 Feb Sunderland 5 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 23 Sep Aston Villa 2 - 1 Sunderland First Division
1932/1933 Wed 07 Sep Sunderland 1 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
Mon 29 Aug Aston Villa 1 - 0 Sunderland First Division
1931/1932 Mon 28 Mar Aston Villa 2 - 0 Sunderland First Division
Fri 25 Mar Sunderland 1 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
1930/1931 Wed 18 Feb Aston Villa 4 - 2 Sunderland First Division
Sat 11 Oct Sunderland 1 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
1929/1930 Sat 01 Feb Sunderland 4 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 28 Sep Aston Villa 2 - 1 Sunderland First Division
1928/1929 Mon 25 Mar Aston Villa 3 - 1 Sunderland First Division
Sat 10 Nov Sunderland 1 - 3 Aston Villa First Division
1927/1928 Sat 25 Feb Sunderland 2 - 3 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 15 Oct Aston Villa 4 - 2 Sunderland First Division
1926/1927 Sat 05 Mar Aston Villa 3 - 1 Sunderland First Division
Sat 16 Oct Sunderland 1 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
1925/1926 Sat 19 Dec Sunderland 3 - 2 Aston Villa First Division
Mon 05 Oct Aston Villa 4 - 2 Sunderland First Division
1924/1925 Sat 04 Apr Aston Villa 1 - 4 Sunderland First Division
Sat 29 Nov Sunderland 1 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
1923/1924 Wed 13 Feb Sunderland 2 - 0 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 09 Feb Aston Villa 0 - 1 Sunderland First Division
1922/1923 Sat 05 May Aston Villa 1 - 0 Sunderland First Division
Sat 28 Apr Sunderland 2 - 0 Aston Villa First Division
1921/1922 Sat 11 Feb Aston Villa 2 - 0 Sunderland First Division
Sat 04 Feb Sunderland 1 - 4 Aston Villa First Division
1920/1921 Wed 23 Feb Sunderland 0 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 12 Feb Aston Villa 1 - 5 Sunderland First Division
1919/1920 Sat 06 Sep Aston Villa 0 - 3 Sunderland First Division
Sat 30 Aug Sunderland 2 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
1914/1915 Sat 02 Jan Sunderland 4 - 0 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 05 Sep Aston Villa 1 - 3 Sunderland First Division
1913/1914 Sat 17 Jan Aston Villa 5 - 0 Sunderland First Division
Sat 20 Sep Sunderland 2 - 0 Aston Villa First Division
1912/1913 Wed 23 Apr Aston Villa 1 - 1 Sunderland First Division
Sat 23 Nov Sunderland 3 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
1911/1912 Sat 10 Feb Sunderland 2 - 2 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 07 Oct Aston Villa 1 - 3 Sunderland First Division
1910/1911 Sat 07 Jan Aston Villa 2 - 1 Sunderland First Division
Sat 10 Sep Sunderland 3 - 2 Aston Villa First Division
1909/1910 Sat 12 Feb Aston Villa 3 - 2 Sunderland First Division
Sat 02 Oct Sunderland 1 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
1908/1909 Sat 23 Jan Sunderland 4 - 3 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 19 Sep Aston Villa 2 - 0 Sunderland First Division
1907/1908 Sat 05 Oct Sunderland 3 - 0 Aston Villa First Division
Mon 09 Sep Aston Villa 1 - 0 Sunderland First Division
1906/1907 Sat 05 Jan Aston Villa 2 - 2 Sunderland First Division
Sat 08 Sep Sunderland 2 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
1905/1906 Wed 28 Feb Sunderland 2 - 0 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 09 Sep Aston Villa 2 - 1 Sunderland First Division
1904/1905 Sat 28 Jan Sunderland 2 - 3 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 01 Oct Aston Villa 2 - 2 Sunderland First Division
1903/1904 Sat 02 Jan Aston Villa 2 - 0 Sunderland First Division
Sat 05 Sep Sunderland 6 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
1902/1903 Sat 31 Jan Sunderland 1 - 0 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 04 Oct Aston Villa 0 - 1 Sunderland First Division
1901/1902 Sat 01 Feb Aston Villa 0 - 1 Sunderland First Division
Sat 05 Oct Sunderland 1 - 0 Aston Villa First Division
1900/1901 Sat 19 Jan Aston Villa 2 - 2 Sunderland First Division
Sat 22 Sep Sunderland 0 - 0 Aston Villa First Division
1899/1900 Fri 29 Dec Aston Villa 4 - 2 Sunderland First Division
Sat 02 Sep Sunderland 0 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
1898/1899 Sat 01 Apr Sunderland 4 - 2 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 03 Dec Aston Villa 2 - 0 Sunderland First Division
1897/1898 Sat 27 Nov Aston Villa 4 - 3 Sunderland First Division
Sat 23 Oct Sunderland 0 - 0 Aston Villa First Division
1896/1897 Sat 16 Jan Aston Villa 2 - 1 Sunderland First Division
Sat 09 Jan Sunderland 4 - 2 Aston Villa First Division
1895/1896 Sat 09 Nov Sunderland 2 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 05 Oct Aston Villa 2 - 1 Sunderland First Division
1894/1895 Wed 02 Jan Sunderland 4 - 4 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 15 Sep Aston Villa 1 - 2 Sunderland First Division
1893/1894 Sat 11 Nov Aston Villa 2 - 1 Sunderland First Division
Sat 09 Sep Sunderland 1 - 1 Aston Villa First Division
1892/1893 Sat 14 Jan Sunderland 6 - 0 Aston Villa First Division
Sat 17 Sep Aston Villa 1 - 6 Sunderland First Division
1891/1892 Sat 26 Mar Sunderland 2 - 1 Aston Villa Football League
Mon 28 Sep Aston Villa 5 - 3 Sunderland Football League
1890/1891 Sat 10 Jan Sunderland 5 - 1 Aston Villa Football League
Fri 26 Dec Aston Villa 0 - 0 Sunderland Football League