I agree, exactly my thoughts ATM (wouldn't say smaller though, just not as ready to challenge).
IMO, to get over this we need to go at Sunderland with all guns blazing right from the first second. If we sit back and try and boss the game and sneak a win, we will, IMO, fail. As we did last season in similar games.
The Sunderland players and their fans will be dreading our arrival, but if we start slowly and give them a little bit of hope, they will up their game, their fans will get behind them and they will be very hard to beat or even draw with. If we go for them and create chances, they will start to retreat and the old doubts will set in, then the game is ours.
Please Villa, go there and go for their throat as quickly as possible. 4-0 to the Villa, with Downing to score.
Ps Didn't MON support Sunderland as a child?