Welcome to LIVE coverage of the Premier League game between Aston Villa and Sunderland at Villa Park.

Don't forget you can watch highlights of this game from 00:01 tonight.

There's the final whistle! Villa have destroyed Sunderland and move five points clear of the relegation zone!

Cuellar flicks the corner on to nobody in particular but it does at least kill a few seconds for Sunderland.

McClean's cross from the left takes a touch and deflects behind for a corner.

Sunderland continue to look longingly towards the tunnel. Though they're likely to get absolutely destroyed by Di Canio once they return to the dressing room.

Just what Sunderland need - four minutes of stoppage time!

And that moves Villa ahead of Newcastle in the Premier League table!

GOAL!! It's six! Impudent finish from Agbonlahor, rounding Mignolet and finishing into the empty net after Vaughan plays him through with an atrocious backpass.

On comes David Vaughan for Sunderland. 'Right son, win us the game!'

Bent tees up Weimann who strikes from the edge of the box - held at the second attempt by Mignolet.

Bennett swirls in a cross from the left and Mignolet has to punch that clear.

Space all over the place for Villa, though they have - perhaps understandably - lost a bit of their attacking intensity.

Villa are slicing through Sunderland at will here - the visitors just need to keep the scoreline as it is and get out of here.

Weimann through ball to Joe Bennett down the left... beyond him into the gloves of Mignolet.

Aston Villa sub: Darren Bent replaces Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Villa need just six more to leapfrog Sunderland in the table.

This result will move Villa level on goal difference with Newcastle, who suddenly look in big trouble. Though not as big as Wigan, who will now be five points from safety.

Yellow card Bardsley for a rash tackle from behind on Benteke.

So that is, indeed, Villa's first Premier League hat-trick since Agbonlahor against Man City in August 2008.

Sunderland gave the ball away inside their own final third, and that was just suicidal. Mignolet gambled on a finish to the far post from the left hand side, but Benteke stuck in in the opposite corner.