The club has already denied that it is chasing Rosenborg's Norwegian international forward John Carew.
John Carew extended Villa's lead with a low strike early in the second half.
It appeared the game was settled when John Carew doubled the lead with a spectacular first-time finish.
Steven Gerrard went close, Pepe Reina denied Stewart Downing and Gabriel Agbonlahor, and John Carew headed wide.
John Carew slammed in to reduce the arrears, but Pienaar restored the two-goal advantage with a great 20-yarder.
But Villa had numerous chances to get a second-half winner with John Carew heading against the bar late on.
John Carew looked offside for Stoke's first goal before a late Robert Huth double steered the Potters to victory.
John Carew pulled Villa level eight minutes later, neatly volleying home at the far post from Ashley Young's cross.
But Jagielka, under pressure from John Carew, headed into his own net to hand Villa a share of the points.
We don't have the biggest squad in the world, and currently John Carew is out and Ashley Young is suspended.
The Premier League side took the lead in the 14th minute when John Carew headed in Rory Delap's long throw-in.
John Carew has made a timely return to fitness, especially given the knock suffered by Emile Heskey on international duty last week.
The absentees looked ot have made the right decision when John Carew leveled for the Norwegians three minutes into the second half.
John Carew put Villa ahead in the 52nd minute with a near post drive after Milner spotted him in space on the right.
John Carew doubled the lead after his long-range shot was deflected in, but Rovers roared back with Jason Price poking in just before the interval.
Delap was fouled by Martin Laursen to allow Liam Lawrence to fire Stoke ahead from the penalty spot, with John Carew scoring a well-crafted equaliser.
Villa responded by introducing the giant figure of John Carew for Carlos Cuellar - and his presence almost forced Vidic into an error that resulted in an equaliser.
James Milner, Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor burst in behind defences brilliantly, feeding off the second ball provided them by the target man, Emile Heskey or John Carew.
The former Liverpool and Leicester forward will bolster Villa's attacking options, joining a strike force that includes John Carew, Marlon Harewood, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young and youngster Nathan Delfouneso.
Lampard gave Chelsea an early lead when he converted Florent Malouda's cross at the far post, but John Carew quickly put Villa level after good work by Ashley Young.
The Irish had a scare three minutes later when goalkeeper Shay Given had to move smartly to clear a slack defensive header by Ian Harte with John Carew set to pounce.
Meanwhile, Hammers striker Carlton Cole admits he has been taking advice from former Chelsea team-mate Didier Drogba and Aston Villa's John Carew on how to add more aggression to his game.
English-based stars John Carew and Morten Gamst Pedersen will be well known to Scotland fans as will former Liverpool defender John Arne Riise, now at Roma, and ex-Tottenham forward Steffen Iversen.
Young is credited with 11 Premier League assists this season and, with John Carew and Emile Heskey providing good targets, it is fair to assume some of these have come from crosses.
Villa, now without Heskey and finding themselves pushed back, did break and create a good chance when Stewart Downing pulled the ball back for John Carew but the substitute's shot was abysmal.
The tempo did not let up after the break, with John Carew - on for Heskey - testing Speroni with a snap-shot on the turn from the corner of the six-yard box.
Villa were facing a long and arduous 90 minutes, and their situation was not helped when striker John Carew limped off with a groin injury before half-time, to be replaced by Maloney.
But, on the pitch, his players kept their focus and Chelsea were lucky to escape again when Petr Cech missed Stewart Downing's cross and only a flick from Terry diverted the ball out of John Carew's path at the far post.
The Merseysiders were briefly forced on the back foot as Villa settled into a pattern of counter-attacking football, with John Carew muscling his way into the box to force Howard into a double save from Ashley Young after a brilliant block from Phil Jagielka.
Substitute striker John Carew added a third from the penalty spot two minutes from time after Duke was booked for bringing down Ashley Young as Villa followed up the midweek win over Portsmouth that put Martin O'Neill's side in the semifinals of the League Cup.
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