Hello and welcome to live text coverage of tonight's Premier League clash between Aston Villa and Sunderland

Full-time: Aston Villa 0-1 Sunderland

Sunderland could hit Villa on the break as they push forward, but Gyan judges his run poorly. Moments later, Gordon tips the ball over the bar and Collins' header is too high from the resulting corner.

Richard Dunne strays offside as Villa drive forward, but again the final ball is lacking and Craig Gordon has little to do in the Sunderland goal.

Villa have 5 minutes of stoppage time to try and salvage an equaliser from the game

Appeals for handball against Bramble in the Sunderland box with Agbonlahor looking to win the ball, but nothing given

Villa subs: Albrighton and Bannan on for Reo-Coker and Petrov

What a miss from Asamoah Gyan to wrap up the match for the visitors! The Sunderland striker is clean through and onside but manages to put the ball wide when one-on-one against Brad Friedel. He should of at least got it on target and tested Friedel.

Boudewijn Zenden receives his second booking of the match and that means a red after coming in late on Stylian Petrov.

Final Sunderland sub: Cristian Riveros is coming on for the injured Welbeck

Danny Welbeck is strecthed off for Sunderland with what looks like a pulled hamstring

Zenden's free-kick is poor and fails to beat the Villa wall. Instead the ball rebounds out to Phil Bardsley, who drills it from just outside the area past Brad Friedel, nestling into the bottom corner of the Villa goal. Unstoppable.

GOAL FOR SUNDERLAND! ASTON VILLA 0-1 SUNDERLAND (Phil Bardsley)

Richard Dunne is booked for a poor challenge and Sunderland have a free-kick in an inviting position.

Elmohamady flashes a low cross through the Villa box, but neither Bent or Welbeck can get anything on it to convert.

Ciaran Clark pulls the ball back on the Sunderland byline following a deep Young cross, but Dunne's effort is comfortably collected by Gordon. Moments later, Gyan blazes over for Sunderland.

Sunderland's poor away form seems to be looming large, as they have so far failed to capitalise on having the extra man.

10-man Villa are now under increasing Sunderland pressure, but Zenden's corner evades every Black Cats player on its way out for a Villa goal-kick

Tempers are starting to flare, as Gyan goes down and Villa play on. Henderson tells Heskey to kick the ball out of play, and as the Sunderland midfielder approaches, the Villa striker pushes him in the face. The referee has only one option and, by the letter of the law, Heskey is sent off.

Villa starting to pen Sunderland back, following the Black Cats early flurries at the start of this second-half.

Nice link-up play from Villa as Clark plays the ball to Young, who links a one-two with Heskey, but the ball back into the England striker, who makes his way into the Sunderland box, is poor.