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Aston Villa finally scored their first Premier League goal of the season but, on this quietly concerning evidence, the quest for last season’s mislaid form is far from over.
In marked contrast Sunderland were a study in resilience and belief after not merely the 33rd minute dismissal of their left-back Reinildo Mandava for violent conduct but the rare second half mistake from Robin Roefs that allowed Matty Cash to shoot Unai Emery’s side ahead from 25 yards.
Undeterred, Régis Le Bris’s 10 men simply regrouped before Wilson Isidor’s third goal in three Premier League home games stripped the shine from Emery’s weekend.
An injury to Habib Diarra opened the door for Chris Rigg to make his Premier League debut and the 18-year-old, later sacrificed as Sunderland switched to a back five in the wake of Reinildo’s dismissal, did not disappoint during his brief cameo in Le Bris’s midfield. Indeed it was Rigg’s clever approach play that enabled Chemsdine Talbi to swing in a cross, headed over by Isidor.
The same striker had earlier missed in similar fashion after meeting Granit Xhaka’s deep cross and would subsequently be denied by Ezri Konsa’s smart positioning as the impressive England defender blocked his shot.
With Morgan Rogers worryingly isolated and seemingly unable to link Villa’s attacking moves, Roefs was left untested until well into the first half. When he was finally called to arms, Evan Guessand shot straight at Sunderland’s goalkeeper after collecting the fall out from a free-kick.
It was a poor effort from Guessand who was not alone in struggling to build on-field bonds with certain Villa teammates, their right back Cash especially,
Cash’s relationship with Sunderland’s left-back Reinildo took a turn for the worse in the 34th minute when he hauled the former Atlético Madrid defender down and then, inadvertently, fell on top of him.
Reinildo, the first player from Mozambique to appear in England’s top tier, took so much exception to this that he flicked out his right leg and raked the inside of Cash’s thigh with his studs.
An early exit ensued, prompting a home reshuffle featuring Rigg’s withdrawal and the introduction of Dan Ballard as Le Bris introduced an extra defender.
Despite Sunderland looking distinctly vulnerable at times, Ollie Watkins continued to toil forlornly at centre forward. The sometime England striker had at least forced a save from Roefs after meeting the rebound from Guessand’s earlier shot but, rather less promisingly, he was offside at the time.
Sunderland’s Paraguay centre-half Omar Alderete almost showed Watkins how to do it, directing a header against the underside of the crossbar, as Le Bris’s 10 men opened the second half brightly.
As, evidently aiming to capitalise from a set piece, the home side forced a series of corners and throws, Villa could easily have been mistaken for the team at a numerical disadvantage.
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Tellingly, Emery’s increasingly agitated touchline gesticulations frequently appeared infinitely more dynamic and urgent than his players’ often strangely passive passing and movement.
Although Harvey Elliott and Ian Maatsen replaced Emiliano Buendía and Lucas Digne in the visiting XI no real improvement was evident until the 67th minute when Cash tried his luck from 25 yards.
His shot was hard, swerving and misread by Roefs whose fingertips were grazed by the ball as it flew into the back of the net.
Sunderland’s deceived Netherlands Under-21 goalkeeper looked quietly furious with himself but, creditably, his teammates refused to fold.
Instead, the industry and intelligence of Granit Xhaka and Enzo Le Fée continued to drive Sunderland forward from midfield.
When Xhaka’s directed the subtlest of cushioned headers over Emery’s backline, Isidor’s low, scoring volley left even Emi Martínez helpless.
Elliott though was starting to raise Villa’s tone and shot wide when well placed. Watkins’s subsequent failure to make contact with the most inviting of balls into the box from substitute Jadon Sancho would serve as a microcosm of Villa’s enduring travails in front of goal.
