Norwich 0-3 Sunderland: Black Cats battle to victory over relegation rivals
Sunderland handed themselves a huge boost in their bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League as they battled to a 3-0 victory over fellow strugglers Norwich City.
The Black Cats grabbed a goal either side of half-time thanks to Fabio Borini and Jermain Defoe and no matter how hard the Canaries pushed they just couldn’t find a way back into the clash, allowing Duncan Watmore to add another in added time.
Alex Neil’s side now sit just one place and one point above Sunderland, who remain in the bottom three despite the victory, and he will be fuming considering the amount of opportunities his side had at Carrow Road.
But Sam Allardyce will know, with a game in hand on Norwich, his side’s Premier League future is now firmly in their hands.
Both teams knew the game could have a huge bearing on their Premier League future and passion were high from the off.
With just three minutes gone, a strong challenge from Norwich star Robbie Brady saw DeAndre Yedlin crash into the hoarding, incensing Allardyce who shoved several Canaries players away as a crowd formed.
When it came to matters with the ball, Sunderland’s long hits to an isolated Jermain Defoe were coming straight back at them with Dieumerci Mbokani heading an effort on goal, before an intense period of pressure saw Vito Mannone well-worked.
A deflected Brady cross, following some fine footwork, was shoved away from danger, while Martin Olsson’s fine long-range volley was palmed over the crossbar.
Wahbi Khazri’s late challenge on Gary O’Neil earned him a booking, but next it was Sunderland’s turn to ramp up the pressure with a succession of missed tackles allowing Fabio Borini to get down the right-flank but his pull-back was skewed wide by Lee Cattermole.
The Black Cats were handed a penalty four minutes before the break when Andre Wisdon, on-loan from Liverpool, crashed into Borini inside the box. And the Italian thwacked home the spot-kick beyond John Ruddy’s outstretched arm to put Allardyce’s men ahead.
Both sides made changes at the break with Norwich swapping Brady for Nathan Redmond, while Sunderland replaced Khazri with Duncan Watmore.
It was the side in yellow who were immediately on the attack though, and they had claims for a penalty when Mbokani was shoved in the area by Lamine Kone, while Redmond’s swerving shot from range struck the post.
The pressure was in vain though as Sebastian Bassong, in for the injured Timm Klose, was caught out by Jan Kirchhoff, and Jermain Defoe was able to slide in at the back post and convert Borini’s superb cross.
Mbokani had further calls for a penalty turned down when Younes Kaboul got hold of him in the box, while Wisdom nearly atoned for his earlier error as his cross-cum-shot was tipped over by Mannone.
Sunderland then cleared the ball not far from the goal-line as Mbokani barrelled through the Black Cats’ defence, with Norwich back on the front foot, and Wes Hoolahan’s volley was somehow kept out moments later.
Defoe was left fuming with 66 minutes on the clock as Watmore’s counter attack clumsily came to an end as Yann M’Vila blocked a pass to the England striker and then played the ball to him in an offside position.
Redmond again went close as the sands ran low on a tense affair but it was all over a minute into stoppage time as Watmore, who had been wasteful, managed to fire a shot beyond Ruddy when put through on goal by Sebastian Larsson.