Abraham flicked Lucas Digne's cross past Robin Roefs to move Unai Emery’s side 10 points clear of sixth-placed Chelsea and boost its Champions League qualification hopes.

But it should have been far more routine for Villa. Ollie Watkins needed just 98 seconds to open the scoring, nodding home after Matty Cash freed John McGinn to lob a cross towards the far post.

Chris Rigg levelled with nine minutes on the clock, firing emphatically into the left-hand corner for his first Premier League goal after Noah Sadiki touched back Nordi Mukiele's right-sided delivery.

Amadou Onana headed against the crossbar after Roefs looked nervy when dealing with McGinn's corner, but Watkins restored Villa's lead nine minutes before half-time. 

Morgan Rogers cutely offloaded for Ian Maatsen to make the byline and fire across the six-yard area for the England striker to head into an empty net.

McGinn's fight out of possession created Villa's third in the 46th minute, with the midfielder releasing Ross Barkley before he found Watkins, who teed up Rogers to drive past Roefs with the help of the post.

Trai Hume started the Sunderland comeback with four minutes remaining, picking Jadon Sancho's pocket before curling into the top-right corner from a tight angle.

Just 58 seconds later, Wilson Isidor levelled after Enzo Le Fee cut open the Villa defence for the French striker to slide past Emiliano Martinez, who then denied Habib Diarra when one-on-one soon after.

Having seen Diarra inexplicably try and dink over Martinez, Villa punished that attempted finish down the other end when Digne delivered from the left for Abraham to get the telling touch and snatch a vital win.