Michael Chopra, signed in the summer from Cardiff for £5million, had been left out of the 16 for last weekend's home clash with Chelsea.

But he responded in the right way by coming off the substitutes' bench to grab an 83rd minute goal and earn the Black Cats their first away success of the campaign.

It lifted them four points clear of the bottom three with only seven games remaining.

Chopra's previous goal in open play had come against Birmingham at St Andrews in the second game of the season and he again showed his liking for the Second City by putting a dent in Villa's European hopes.

Keane said: "Michael would have been disappointed to be left out last week but he has got his head down and he got his opportunity today.

"Before every game you ask which player is likely to get you a goal and Michael is up there with three or four players.

"If we create chances, Michael will score but we don't create that many. In defence of him, I have played him out of position on quite a few occasions.

"Maybe criticism of him is a bit unfair but myself and the staff are delighted with him."

Keane felt his side deserved to break their away duck against a Villa side who struggled to get out of second gear.

He said: "The longer the away run goes on, the longer people ask the same question about it. We have been unlucky in some away games.

"It is not as if we have been battered every week. We have played quite well without being able to get over the finishing line but today we achieved it.

"Every week I maybe do the players discredit by saying we play with good spirit but in the last couple of weeks we have also played with quality.

"We played some decent stuff today. Maybe we rode our luck a little bit but we got one clear-cut chance in the second half and managed to take it."