A below-par Villa slipped to a narrow defeat at Sunderland following Richard Dunne’s first-half own goal.

The defender diverted a Steed Malbranque cross into his own goal after 25 minutes at the Stadium of Light.

Villa, who lost Stiliyan Petrov to injury before half-time, had chances to pull level, mainly for Emile Heskey, in the second half, but they were never at their best and were unable to find a way past Steve Bruce’s men.

Claret and blues boss Gerard Houllier made just one change from the side which drew with Chelsea last weekend with Heskey returning for John Carew, while the fit-again Marc Albrighton was on the bench.

The game began at a frenetic pace and it was Sunderland who almost drew first blood when, after three minutes, Jordan Henderson outfoxed Dunne before his cross was headed narrowly past the post by Steed Malbranque.

Within seconds Villa were attacking at the opposite end, however, and they came even closer when Ashley Young slid in Stewart Downing with a clever through-ball but the ex-Black Cats loanee could only fire against the right woodwork.

Houllier’s side had an appeal for a penalty on eight when Reo-Coker, sent clean through by Emile Heskey, appeared to be caught by Lee Cattermole but the claims were waved away by referee Mark Halsey.

Heskey was causing all sorts of problems for the Black Cats defence and almost created a carbon copy of the goal he made for Marc Albrighton at Tottenham.

The striker outmuscled his marker on 17 minutes and delivered a ball across the face of goal which Stephen Ireland looked set to convert but for a fine last-ditch interception from Nedum Onuoha.

It was end-to-end stuff and Darren Bent looked set to meet another teasing right-wing cross but for a fine last-ditch challenge from Habib Beye in the 20^th minute.

And it was from another right-wing cross that the Black Cats took the lead, Malbranque sliding to beat Petrov to the ball next to the byline before sending in a cross which Dunne, under pressure from Danny Welbeck, diverted into his own net.

Roared on by a passionate home crowd, the Black Cats seized control and Welbeck twice came close before Warnock threw himself in bravely to deny Ahmed Elmohamady when the winger looked set to head in from just yards out.

There was a further blow for Villa five minutes before the break, when Stiliyan Petrov limped off with Steve Sidwell coming on in the captain’s place.

Villa had the better chances early in the second half but they were unable to find a way through.

A 50^th minute slide-rule pass from Downing slotting in Young, but his shot was straight at goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and soon afterwards Albrighton was brought on in place of Stephen Ireland.

But an even better chance went begging on 62 minutes when the Black Cats missed Downing’s low cross, leaving the onrushing Heskey looking a certainty to score only for the ball to go through his legs and Young then send the follow-up narrowly wide.

Villa began to turn up the heat and, seconds after a second penalty shout for a handball by Titus Bramble was turned away, Dunne saw a chance to earn a reprieve go begging when he pulled a volley well wide from a narrow angle, while Heskey headed a Downing inswinger agonisingly past the post.

Downing did his best to take the game to Sunderland and, for a third time, Villa had a penalty appeal rejected when he tumbled inside the box after bamboozling Bardsley.

But it was Sunderland who had the last chance of the game, with it needing a superb last-ditch tackle from Dunne to deny Bent.