Sunderland claimed a point to continue their march towards Premier League safety and put a dent in Aston Villa’s Champions League aspirations.

Fraizer Campbell broke the deadlock midway through the first half, beating Brad Friedel with a cool finish after being fed by Kieran Richardson.

John Carew pulled Villa level eight minutes later, neatly volleying home at the far post from Ashley Young’s cross.

Both sides had chances subsequently, but neither could force a breakthrough.

The evening’s events hardened the impression of two clubs on contrasting trajectories, for while Villa’s European push continued to falter, Steve Bruce’s resurgent side are finishing the season almost as impressively as they began it.

The facts tell their own story. Though unbeaten in the league in 2010, Villa have now won just three of their 10 games since the turn of the year, drawing the other seven.

Worse yet, this latest damaging stalemate came against a Sunderland side that - for all the upward mobility suggested by a five-game unbeaten run - last won away in the league on the opening weekend of the season.

After the events of Saturday, when Villa were jeered by certain sections of the home support during a 2-2 draw with Wolves, Martin
O’Neill threw down the gauntlet to players and fans alike by naming an unchanged side.

The supporters kept their end of the bargain, but despite the noisy backing of the Holte End - and a promising start from Villa - it was Sunderland who took the lead.

There seemed to be little on when a Jordan Henderson clearance fell to Richardson just inside his own half, but the former Manchester United man spotted Campbell’s run, splitting the Villa defence with a prodded through-ball.

Campbell did the rest, leaving Stephen Warnock and James Collins trailing in his wake before steering a calm finish around the advancing Friedel.

By then Darren Bent had already had an effort rightly ruled out for offside and, after conceding twice in 15 minutes against Wolves, it will be a source of concern to O’Neill that Villa - who have the Premier League’s best defensive record - have suddenly assumed an uncharacteristic air of vulnerability.

In Carew, however, they have a striker in such irresistible form that an early injury to England striker Emile Heskey, who was replaced by the lively youngster Nathan Delfouneso, barely registered.

Heskey limped off after 14 minutes with a suspected Achilles injury and will undergo a scan on Thursday to assess the extent of the problem.

When James Milner fed the ball wide to Ashley Young, and the winger’s measured cross reached Carew at the far post, the outcome was inevitable.

High on confidence after scoring twice on Saturday, the Norway international calmly slotted home a side-footed volley to claim his 14th goal of the season in all competitions.

Villa’s failure to build on that breakthrough was due partly to their inability to build on some promising build-up play, and partly to some gritty Sunderland defending.

Sunderland grew in defensive authority after the break and were helped enormously by Craig Gordon, who performed sterling service in goal.

Gordon reacted sharply to deny Carew and James Collins early on, and again came to the rescue shortly after the break when Carew drilled an angled shot low to his left.

Had John Mensah not spurned a priceless opportunity shortly after half-time, Sunderland might even have broken their away hoodoo.

But Mensah hopelessly mistimed a header after Steed Malbranque had found him unmarked with a floated ball into the danger area.

Both Carew and Delfouneso later fizzed wide with headers, while a late Steve Sidwell effort beat Gordon only to sail over the bar.

With it went Villa’s chances of making up further ground on fourth-placed Tottenham.

*Villa manager Martin O’Neill:*

“While we’ve been unbeaten for a considerable time, you’d be hoping that with two consecutive home games we’d have taken four points.

“But it’s easier said than done, and we’re still in there fighting.

“I’m genuinely pleased with the effort the players are putting in, and I’m very pleased with John Carew’s form.

“I think there will be plenty more twists to come in the race for fourth, but our away record is very good and I still think we’re in the race.”