It is a year since Jermain Defoe became Sunderland’s highest paid player after arriving from FC Toronto. Since then Gus Poyet, d!ck Advocaat and now Sam Allardyce have all struggled to fit the former England striker into their starting XIs and there has been interminable debate about whether he should be offloaded.

Along the way though Defoe has scored a few vital goals and none more so than the pair he registered here. Accommodated on Allardcye’s teamsheet he justified such faith by reviving Sunderland’s survival hopes as they ended a run of five straight defeats.

In truth Defoe’s contribution helped airbrush the flaws out of a less than convincing overall performance on a day when the expression on Remi Garde’s face confirmed that Villa are all but consigned to the Championship.

Still to win since Garde succeeded Tim Sherwood, Villa have only eight points and are now seven behind Sunderlandwho remain second bottom.