*Thome saves Sunderland*

Emerson Thome’s late strike grabbed a share of the points for Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

Thome met Julio Arca’s cross with a looping header to cancel out Ian Taylor’s effort, which came 14 minutes into the second half.

With Kevin Phillips missing his third successive penalty after quarter of an hour, it had looked as if the home side’s industry was to be left unrewarded.

But then the big Brazilian Thome popped up to spoil Villa’s New Year celebrations.

Taylor had crashed home Darius Vassell’s cross with half an hour to go - the first goal Sunderland had conceded at home in over seven hours of football.

Stone picked up the ball in midfield and found Vassell on the right.

When he delivered a teasing cross into the middle, Taylor did not even have to break stride to head past Sorensen.

Sunderland searched for a way back into the game and pinned Villa back inside their own half.

But they could not find a way through, with Schmeichel denying Phillips from distance.

Phillips had seen his first-half penalty saved by Schmeichel, the Danish keeper diving low to his left to keep out the 15th-minute spot-kick.

The Black Cats were dealt a further blow on 23 minutes when joint record signing Claudio Reyna was stretchered off after a midfield clash with Lee Hendrie.

Steve Stone set the alarm bells ringing with 26 minutes gone when he picked out Vassell inside the penalty area, but the striker’s control let him down and Thome was able to clear.

Sunderland’s response was swift. Phillips turned provider a minute later, curling a cross towards Quinn at the far post only for Samuel to hack clear.

Quinn broke on halfway and fed Julio Arca, who cut inside on the edge of the box but was robbed by Olof Mellberg.

Phillips smashed a 20-yard effort inches wide and continued to terrorise the Villa defence.

Two minutes before the break he pulled away from his man to receive Arca’s pass but drilled his shot straight at the keeper.