Crucial that Sunderland get it right after two disastrous transfer windows
NOW would seem to be as good a time as any to pose the question: “Was this summer, Sunderland’s worst transfer window. Ever?”
With head coach Gus Poyet meeting the Black Cats’ director of football, Roberto De Fanti, to discuss possible January targets this weekend and the players drawing breath after a bizarre and bruising start to the campaign, it’s an appropriate juncture to evaluate the events of the past few months in terms of squad changes and ‘improvements’.
And there’s no shortage of material to sift through.
With 14 players coming in over the close season and almost as many leaving, the turnover was nothing short of staggering.
In terms of players leaving, fans would probably find few criticisms – with TWO notable exceptions.
The loss of a batch of youngsters deemed not good enough to make the grade is par for the course in football and there were no grumbles about any of the young departed.
Elsewhere, players like Matt Kilgallon and Titus Bramble had been decent servants (or not, depending on your point of view), but with the contracts of both having expired, there was no clamour to offer fresh deals.
The sales of Ahmed Elmohamady and James McClean for £2million apiece was regarded as decent business, even by those who were their cheerleaders.
But where the club really put itself in the spotlight were the sales of Simon Mignolet and Stephane Sessegnon.
Mignolet would have gone to a more successful club at some stage, but there was still an argument for hanging on to him for another season at least, so outstanding were his performances.
Sessegnon’s drink-driving charge, which put his Sunderland future in jeopardy, was bad news.
But to sell him to one of the club’s mid-table rivals on the strength of that misdemeanour – particularly as it felt that it was done in part because Paolo Di Canio was showing what a stickler he was for discipline – did not sit well.
And when it emerged that Sunderland had sold their most exciting outfield player for £6m but TURNED DOWN a £5m offer for bit-part misfit Ji Dong-won, the contrast between the two decisions was glaring.
One or two people have suggested that Di Canio should have been sacked for the Ji decision alone.
But, regardless of that, there’s no escaping the fact the club which finished fourth bottom on the Premier League sold its Player of the Year, (Mignolet); the guy who was inconsistent and moody but who could still win you half-a-dozen games a season (Sessegnon); while one of their most exciting and able outfield players could not be held on to (on-loan Danny Rose).
For a team which finished just above the relegation places, it was a suicidal strategy unless the incoming replacements could pass muster.
The initials signs looked good as, under De Fanti’s direction, a host of new players came in quickly and the first impressions of Cabral, David Moberg Karlsson and El-Hadji Ba were favourable.
But it soon became evident that the trio, along with Modibo Diakite, did not look worth the money spent on them in fees and wages.
True, they may still be ones for the future.
But the bottom line is that of three head coaches this season – none have seen an immediate future for them in the team.
Against that backdrop, back-up centre-half Valentin Roberge has had more game time than expected without being able to nail down a place, while Charis Mavrias remains very much a work in progress.
The three loan players – Fabio Borini, Ondrej Celustka and Ki Sung-Yueng – have shown varying degrees of potential and the South Korean, in particular, could have a key role to play this season, but none of the trio necessarily expect to be at the Stadium of Light this time next year.
The only permanent signings who have had a genuine first-team impact over several games have been those Sunderland paid a real price for – £6.8m Jozy Altidore, £6.5m Emanuele Giaccherini and £2m Vito Mannone.
Mannone has done well but is no Mignolet just yet, Altidore looks the part but has so far scored no more Premier League goals than Danny Graham (none), while Giaccherini is a gifted player with a lovely touch but so tangential to games at times that Gus Poyet left him out of the Newcastle derby and the Hull game, looking to use him as an impact sub.
Inevitably, Di Canio has to take his share of the blame for this failure to launch after the summer switch around.
But so, too, does owner Ellis Short, De Fanti and chief scout Valentino Angeloni.
Di Canio himself muttered darkly, shortly before his departure, about how when things went wrong under the managerial structure Sunderland had recently adopted, that the head coach paid with his job every time while the director of football rarely did.
Given the departures of Mignolet and Sessegnon and the failure of so many of their replacements to make an impact, if anyone was giving a half-term report on De Fanti’s efforts so far, it would be heavily marked in red: “MUST DO BETTER.”
For the record, I don’t think this was Sunderland’s worst transfer window – off the top of my head, the one in January was worse.
More importantly, Short thought that too – sacking Martin O’Neill largely on the basis of the squandered £10m which saw Danny Graham make a minimal, non-goalscoring, impact, Alfred N’Diaye making the most marginal of impacts and Kader Mangane making no impact at all.
But the bottom line is that 2013 has not been a lucky year for Sunderland in terms of improving or taking the squad forward.
And the big concern is that the bulk of the squad selected by Poyet so far, and the key contributions made, have been almost entirely O’Neill or Steve Bruce players – Wes Brown, Steven Fletcher, Phil Bardsley, Seb Larsson...
It all means Poyet has much to mull over as he looks to improve Sunderland’s squad in January, with De Fanti’s help.
But he must be firm in getting the players he wants, if the players he is offered do not excite him because it is absolutely vital that the club has more hits than misses in the New Year.
Sunderland have had two disastrous transfer windows.
Gus Poyet will quit Sunderland if transfer targets not to his liking
• Manager holds talks with director of football and chief scout
• 'If a player is not right, I'm not going to accept it,' says Poyet
Gus Poyet has made it clear there will be problems at Sunderland if he is not given the final say on transfers. While the manager is happy to be working alongside Roberto De Fanti, the club's director of football, and Valentino Angeloni, the chief scout, he established his spheres of autonomy during a meeting with the two Italians in London last week when Sunderland's January transfer-market strategy was planned.
"We talked about a position the other day and considered four players," Poyet said. "I picked two. It was simple. One of the other two [selected by De Fanti] was a definite no. If that one is coming, I won't be here. The player has to be the right one for me. If not, I'm not going to accept it."
He may have said it with a smile on his face but Poyet was keen to establish his working parameters. "The sporting director exists everywhere in the world," he said. "I know in England it's not very common. The manager is normally in charge of everything but I had it at Zaragoza as a player and my situation is clear.
"I met with Roberto and Valentino and said what I think we need. They need to give me the options and I need to pick the ones I like. We need to see if they are available and if they fit into the financial possibilities, then we will move forward.
"I'm sure it's going to be done in the right way, in the common-sense way. Everyone has a responsibility and then the player has to be the right one for me."
Paolo Di Canio, Poyet's predecessor, complained that none of the 14 signings made by De Fanti during the summer were on his shopping list, with Sunderland's failure to sign Tom Huddlestone from Tottenham Hotspur a particular regret. The current manager is more optimistic about making the new system work.
"I've told him [De Fanti] my opinions about everybody here already and I've told him what I think we should be looking for," Poyet said. "Roberto and Valentino will manage it and then I will start checking on them every now and then – I like to go and see players live, if it's possible. The players already here have an opportunity now but there are others I think we need."
The former Brighton manager has handed De Fanti a detailed analysis of the existing squad with the column marked "deficiencies" highlighting the need to hit the ground running on 1 January. "The idea is to start moving," said Poyet, whose team have recently beaten Newcastle United and Manchester City in the Premier League, increasing Sunderland's hopes of avoiding relegation following a disastrous start to the season. "The sooner we move, the sooner we get a player, the better for me."
He is aiming for quality rather than quantity. "It's not going to be many players in January," he said. "And, so far, everything is working fine [with De Fanti and Angeloni]. The connection and communication have been great."
Stoke vs Sunderland won’t be a classic – but could provide further evidence of Black Cats survival instincts
With a series of pointless international friendlies now done and dusted until the new year, focus can firmly return to the bread and butter that is domestic football. In Sunderland’s case this involves a trip to the once Fortress Britannia, looking to build on some promising performances and results of late.
Stoke have been in uninspiring form in the Premier League recently, failing to win in their last eight games – a statistic which will encourage Sunderland supremo Gus Poyet as a win this weekend, accompanied with some co-operative results elsewhere, would see his side back in the mix with the sides that are also staring relegation square in the face.
However, for all that Stoke’s home form is lacklustre, Sunderland’s recent away record is even worse. The Black Cats have lost six of their last seven away games and you can imagine that Mark Hughes will be very much approaching this fixture as an ideal opportunity to stop the Stoke rot.
Historically, fixtures between Stoke and Sunderland have rarely resulted in entertaining goalfests, with eight of the last 10 matches seeing two goals or less. Couple this with the fact that the Black Cats have failed to score in their last three trips away from the Stadium of Light and the fixture doesn’t scream ‘rollercoaster ride of emotion’…
Of the two teams, you would imagine that it would be the visiting side that will have an added spring in their collective step
What I’m trying to get at is that we’re hardly set for a pulsating ‘one for the ages’ game on Saturday afternoon if the form is to be believed. Indeed this is probably likely to be the game mocked by the pundits during the game as they struggle for a reason to be enthused while likely freezing their particulars off.
Of the two teams, you would imagine that it would be the visiting side that will have an added spring in their collective step having won two of their last three fixtures, including a startling victory over wannabe champions Manchester City.
Sunderland seem to have progressed beyond any semblance of a honeymoon period under Gus Poyet – if indeed there was one, such was the general feeling of lethargy that greeted his arrival. This however should not be taken as an affront to the Uruguayan but rather a reaction to the instigation of yet another period of upheaval.
Poyet deserves a great deal of plaudits for the manner in which he has implemented his passing philosophy onto a Sunderland side that was adrift at the foot of the table and bereft of confidence and self-belief following the Di Canio dictatorship.
I must admit I had my doubts whether or not this Sunderland squad contained the ability and quality to effectively apply such a technical game plan. For far too long we were a side with little to no identifiable style of play that would more often than not elect for the useless punt upfield.
However, I can gratefully admit I was wrong and now have genuine belief that this squad, under Poyet’s stewardship, can avoid relegation.
Kevin Friend Helps Stoke City beat Sunderland 2-0 at the Britannia Stadium
Stoke recorded their first win in nine Premier League games as goals from Charlie Adam and Steven Nzonzi steered them to a 2-0 home victory against Sunderland, who had Wes Brown sent off in controversial circumstances.
The Potters took the lead on the half-hour mark when Adam drilled in from Nzonzi's cut-back.
Six minutes later, referee Kevin Friend deemed a sliding tackle from Brown on Adam that won the defender the ball - and replays suggested any contact between the players had been minimal - to be worthy of a straight red card, a call that left Sunderland boss Gus Poyet fuming.
The Uruguayan saw his team battle bravely thereafter, but Stoke's win was sealed in the 81st minute when Nzonzi slotted home having been set up nicely by Peter Crouch.
Mark Hughes' side, who had been 17th at the start of the day and separated from the relegation zone by goal difference alone, moved up to 14th after this result.
Meanwhile Sunderland, who are three points adrift of safety, now occupy bottom spot in the table with Crystal Palace - watched from the stands by their new manager, ex-Stoke boss Tony Pulis, as they won 1-0 at Hull - having moved above them.
Jack Colback saw a shot deflect behind for a corner as Sunderland exerted some pressure early on, but it amounted to nothing and at the other end, Adam sent a free-kick on to the roof of the net.
Moments later Geoff Cameron delivered two dangerous crosses into the Black Cats box in quick succession, one of which came to Marko Arnautovic, whose strike on the turn was blocked.
Steven Fletcher then brought the ball down - seemingly with his arm - in the Potters area and, with no whistle blown, produced a shot which Asmir Begovic got out to parry.
Soon after, Stoke skipper Ryan Shawcross had to clear off his line as a hoisted ball forward ricocheted towards goal and Arnautovic then appealed for a penalty having fired an effort against John O'Shea, but none was given.
Stoke continued to press and were rewarded with a goal when Nzonzi latched onto Cameron's chip down the right, turned Ki Sung-yeung and laid the ball to Adam, who was arriving in the box.
The Scotland midfielder side-footed a low shot that gave Vito Mannone little chance of keeping it out.
It got worse for Sunderland as Brown was given his marching orders by Friend, whose decision prompted an angry reaction from the defender's team-mates and manager.
Brown, sliding at a considerable speed when he challenged Adam and won the ball, appeared to make little contact - if any - with the Stoke man.
Sunderland's complaints went unheeded and their opponents looked to swiftly make the most of the man advantage, but could not add another goal before half-time.
The hosts continued their search for a second after the break but Sunderland managed to keep them at bay and brought a save out of Begovic via Phil Bardsley's attempt.
Stoke then broke and Adam advanced towards goal, but he blazed his shot well off-target from outside the area.
Sunderland did their best to battle back and, after Adam Johnson shot wide, Fletcher went to ground in the box when the boot of Begovic, coming out to clear, connected with his chest, but again no spot-kick was awarded.
Nzonzi then wrapped up the three points for Stoke, finishing first time from a through-ball by Crouch, who advanced forward having collected Adam's pass.
And the Potters might have had more goals had substitute Andy Wilkinson or Arnautovic been able to convert late chances.
Best of the match
*Goal of the match: N'Zonzi's sublime flick home late on was a fitting reward for the midfielder who controlled the game.
*Moment of the match: Brown's dismissal will be discussed and probably argued by the Sunderland coaching staff.
*Man of the match: N'Zonzi impressed throughout and Sunderland found his play difficult to contain.
Name:
gitten678!f0VAennZ7U2013-11-23 13:49
Poor refereeing which has probably cost us more points and has ultimately pushed us down to the bottom of the league
Name:
NFFC2013-11-23 13:51
>>646
Kevin Friend - a paragon of incompetence! He booked a player last week, walking away from the ball when the opposing player kicked the ball into his back. He shouldn't be allowed to referee an Under 5's game. I wonder who Mr. "invisible" Riley will be apologising to this week. PGMOL - A complete bunch of rank amateurs!
Sunderland manager Gus Poyet wants Wes Brown's red card in the defeat at Stoke to be rescinded - and for referees' chief Mike Riley to apologise.
Referee Kevin Friend dismissed Brown for a tackle on Charlie Adam during the 2-0 loss, though the defender appeared to win the ball cleanly.
Last week, Riley rang West Brom boss Steve Clarke after a controversial penalty award against Chelsea.
"Maybe Mike needs to call. I will have my phone on," Poyet told BBC Sport.
Sunderland were trailing 1-0 to a 30th-minute Adam strike when Brown went sliding in on the Stoke goalscorer and, after a short delay, was sent off by Friend.
Poyet, who reacted furiously at the time, shouting at the officials and throwing his coat to the ground, added: "Either we get an apology or you don't make me appeal and take the red card away. We can accept the mistake from the referee and we move forward.
"Sometimes we keep asking ourselves what is going on because it is difficult to understand. I would like somebody to explain. If you explain the action with some different words maybe I try to give some credit to the referee.
"But I don't think there is any explanation. Was it a two-footed tackle? No. Was he not in control? No. Over the ball? No. Was the opponent in danger? No. Did he make contact? No. Please explain me. It is difficult to accept."
Riley, who is in charge of the the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOB), contacted Clarke to say sorry for referee Andre Marriner's contentious decision to award a late spot-kick to Chelsea in the 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge on 9 November.
Poyet added: "I would like the referees' association to apologise to me this time.
"They did it last week. I think it is fair - they called a British manager and I think it is time for them to call a foreign manager."
Wes Brown: FA overturns red card after Sunderland appeal
Sunderland's Wes Brown has had his red card for a tackle on Stoke's Charlie Adam during Saturday 2-0 defeat overturned by the Football Association.
The Black Cats appealed against the sending off after the defender, 34, appeared to take the ball cleanly.
"It was hugely frustrating but we accept officials are only human and like everyone, they can make mistakes," said Sunderland head coach Gus Poyet.
"We are delighted with their decision, which is fair and just."
Poyet added: "Today goes some way to rectifying the error and we are delighted to have Wes available for Saturday's game at Aston Villa.
"I would like to express my thanks to the panel for giving the matter their consideration.
Referee Kevin Friend, 42, has not been given a match to officiate for the next two rounds of Premier League games.
Crystal Palace's appeal against Yannick Bolasie's red card for a tackle on Hull's Jake Livermore was rejected by the same panel.
Meanwhile, the FA says no retrospective action will be taken against Manchester United's Wayne Rooney, Everton's Kevin Mirallas and Cardiff midfielder Gary Medel for incidents in their sides' matches.
“When I made the challenge the first thing I thought was that it was going to be a red card” Kevin Mirallas Everton
Poyet was visibly angry at the decision to dismiss Brown, with his side trailing 1-0 at the Britannia Stadium.
"I have spoken with Mike Riley (general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited) and whilst the details of our conversation will remain private, I am satisfied with today's outcome," added Poyet.
On a weekend in which there were a number of controversial refereeing decisions, Rooney admitted he made a "bad tackle" after kicking Cardiff's Jordon Mutch in a 2-2 draw at Cardiff City Stadium.
And Medel appeared to slap Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini in the same game.
New FA rules designed to make retrospective action more usable came into action ahead of the weekend's games.
But England striker Rooney will receive no further punishment other than the yellow card handed to him by Neil Swarbrick, as retrospective action cannot be taken when match officials have seen the incident.
None of the match officials saw the incident involving Medel, so it went before the FA's new "not seen" panel, which can punish players retrospectively, but the panel felt no action was necessary.
Mirallas will also escape any ban as a result of a knee-high tackle on Liverpool's Luis Suarez in the first half of the 3-3 draw at Goodison Park.
"When I made the challenge the first thing I thought was that it was going to be a red card," admitted Mirallas, who Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said should have been sent off.
"I was genuinely going for the ball but I know I caught him on the knee and I said sorry straight away."
Striker Chopra called to give evidence in £750,000 cocaine trial involving alleged drugs factory
Blackpool striker Michael Chopra will be called to give evidence in a £750,000 cocaine trial involving an alleged drugs factory on Wearside, a court has heard.
Prosecutors claim £50,000 found in the foot-well of a Jaguar car by detectives investigating alleged ring members in 2010 was drug money.
But Newcastle Crown Court heard yesterday the cash belonged to former Newcastle, Sunderland and Ipswich star Michael Chopra, currently signed to Blackpool, who had turned to loan sharks to cope with his crippling gambling debts and was trying to pay them back.
Jurors have heard during the trial the case involves a block of cocaine being flung from the window of a moving black Range Rover which was being followed by the police, the discovery of a 'drugs factory' in Washington, where £750,000 worth of cocaine was recovered, and £50,000 which was discovered inside the luxury car.
Joseph Lewins, 55, of Malvern Road, Washington, Daniel Chisholm, 51, then of Franklin Street, Sunderland, Christopher Bacon, 34, of Wendover Close, Witherwack and John Somerville, 53, of Sheringham Avenue, Kenton, all deny conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
Prosecutor Jolyon Perks has told jurors the cash was seized in a Jaguar being driven by a man who had just left Somerville’s home and was part-payment for a drugs deal.
But Richard Bloomfield, defending Somerville, said the cash was the result of Chopra having to pay back loan sharks after running up gambling debts into the 'millions'.
The court heard Chopra will be called to give evidence in the case, despite the 'inevitable storm' that will break around him.
Mr Bloomfield said: 'That £50,000 that was found in the car was nothing to do with drugs.
'That £50,000 was Chopra’s. It was to pay off a gambling debt, to pay them off.
'That was what John Somerville was doing on November 11 2010, he was not buying drugs, he was paying Michael Chopra’s gambling debts off.'
Mr Bloomfield said Chopra owed so much money that legitimate creditors and even team-mates would no longer deal with him and he was forced to borrow from loan sharks.
Mr Bloomfield added: 'Michael Chopra has a gambling addiction.
'He has spent, wasted, you may think an awful lot of money over the years gambiling.
'He got into gambling when he started playing football locally, at St. James’ Park, casinos, dog racing, football, rugby.
'There were times he might wake up in the middle of the night and bet on football as far away as in South America and wouldn’t even know the team that was playing.
'He reached the stage where he owed increasing amounts of money.
'The amount he spent on gambling over the years was not thousands or hundreds of thousands, it was millions.
'He reached the stage most of the normal bookmakers would not deal with him because he owed them money.
'He owed money to team mates and there came a time when he was offered credit to gamble in an operation in Liverpool, not legitimate bookmakers.'
The court heard Chopra’s debts run to the Liverpool loansharks through his 'gambling illness' spiralled to £250,000 and he ended up turning to his bosses at Ipswich town for help.
The four men accused of being part of the drugs conspiracy deny the charge.
LEE CATTERMOLE made his Sunderland return last night after completing his three-match suspension.
But it was not a happy comeback for the midfielder as the Black Cats crashed out of the Under-21 Premier League Cup, losaing 2-1 after a second half comeback from hosts Burnley.
Cattermole, who had hoped to feature in last week’s cancelled U21 friendly against Darlington, completed the full 90 minutes at Turf Moor to top his up fitness ahead of Saturday’s first-team trip to Aston Villa.
The 25-year-old was part of a strong Sunderland side with summer signings Cabral, Charis Mavrias, David Moberg Karlsson and El-Hadji Ba all featuring for Kevin Ball’s side.
And it was the visitors who broke the deadlock in the ninth minute when Craig Lynch intercepted Luke Conlan’s back pass before sliding the ball beyond Burnley stopper Alex Cisak.
Burnley, who fielded former Sunderland striker Ryan Noble, almost grabbed an immediate equaliser when the lively Luke Gallagher fired into the side netting and then unleashed a shot just over the top from 25 yards in the 15th minute.
Midway through the first half, Cisak made a smart save to deny Ba after the French midfielder burst into the area and smashed a shot towards the top corner.
Sunderland stopper Joel Dixon was called into action in the 31st minute when he pushed away Steven Hewitt’s effort.
Early in the second half, Dixon produced an even better save when he kept out Noble’s deflected effort before Jason Gilchrist put the rebound wide.
But in the 64th minute, Burnley’s pressure paid off when Gallagher cut inside from the right and curled the ball into the far top corner from just outside the box.
Substitute Duncan Watmore went close to regaining the lead with five minutes to go when his effort deflected wide off defender Kevin Long.
But it was Championship leaders Burnley who were to grab a dramatic late winner when Long’s header came back off the bar and Conlan tucked away the rebound on the volley to send the Clarets into the last 16 of the competition.
BURNLEY: Cisak, Dummigan, Conlan, Howieson, Coleman, Long, Gilchrist, Hewitt, Noble, Frost, Gallagher. Subs not used: Nizic, Errington, Brownhill, Daly, Hill
Borini threatens to quit Sunderland to save World Cup dream... but Poyet wants to keep him
Sunderland boss Gus Poyet says he wants to keep Liverpool striker Fabio Borini after the January transfer window.
The young Italian has made just two starts since making the temporary switch to the Black Cats, scoring in the 2-1 derby win against Newcastle last month.
Borini's agent claims he wants to leave because he has not held down a regular place.
But Poyet said: ‘I would like to talk to him, not agents. He is a very important player for us and he has been unlucky because, if there is one player who should have got a bit more from the manager, it is Fabio.
‘I’ve only been here a month and a half so not everything needs to be decided now.
'If I was him I'd be moaning, but he has got great character and we have got a very good relationship.
'Every player wants to play all the time and I'm sure his family are thinking, why doesn't he manager play him? He has done well and is probably the one who has been really unlucky with the situation in games.'
Borini’s agent, Marco de Marchi, suggested he would be prepared to push for a move back to Italy for his client in order to enhance his hopes of going to the World Cup.
'He’s only had a chance at Sunderland after the arrival of Gus Poyet, but it is still insufficient,' said Marchi. 'I would like a meeting with Liverpool in January.
'I can only say that if the situation of Fabio does not change in the next month, we may consider a return to Italy in order to improve his chances of being called up for the World Cup.'
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Michael Chopra reveals football’s gambling problem: 'I signed for Sunderland in order to pay my debts off'
Michael Chopra, the former Newcastle United, Cardiff City and Sunderland striker, claimed he would gamble up to £30,000 in cash with other players on the team bus en route to matches while he was still a teenager with the St James’ Park club.
Chopra, giving evidence as a witness during a trial at Newcastle Crown Court, claims he was threatened by Scottish loan sharks later in his career as he ran up huge debts and joined Sunderland because the sizeable signing-on fee helped pay off some of the money he owed. He said that during his time with Ipswich the club and the Professional Footballers’ Association organised a £250,000 loan to do likewise while his father, Minty, also revealed in court yesterday that he had sold his house to pay his son’s gambling debts. Chopra told the court he estimated he had lost £2m through gambling.
“I started gambling when I was about 17, when I first played for Newcastle I was travelling with the first team,” said Chopra, who came through the youth ranks at Newcastle to play alongside the likes of Alan Shearer, Kieron Dyer, Titus Bramble and Craig Bellamy. “Players would gamble on the bus and I got involved. We would take thousands of pounds on to the bus, anything up to £30,000.
“It might change hands playing cards on the bus, we would go to the bank before and take out the money. It was part of team bonding. We were playing for real cash, if you were playing for £30,000 you would have it with you at the time.”
It was another painful day for football’s image as Chopra’s revelations were followed by the Crown Prosecution Service’s decision to charge two men as part of an investigation into an international match-fixing ring that is said to have attempted to rig matches in England’s lower leagues. Players’ unions have called for all involved in the professional game to be better, and compulsorily, educated over match-fixing. Unions have previously raised concerns that accruing huge gambling debts leaves players open to the approaches of match-fixers. There is no suggestion that Chopra has been involved in match-fixing.
Gambling remains very much a live issue in the game through players amassing huge debts; breaking betting rules laid down by governing bodies – Andros Townsend was suspended last season for breaching regulations; and, most seriously of all, the rise of the illegal betting markets that have led to the mushrooming of match-fixing across Europe over the last decade. Again, there is no suggestion that Townsend has been involved in match-fixing.
Chopra, who turns 30 later this month, was deep in debt by the time he joined Ipswich Town in 2011. He said: “I had loan sharks turning up at the training ground when I was at Ipswich. They came up to me and asked me for my autograph and said I better get myself into the club and get that money now.
“They said they knew what car I was driving and they would follow me until I paid them. They said they knew what school my little boy went to and where my parents lived and where I lived in Ipswich. I felt sick that I had put my family in that situation from my gambling.”
Chopra, now with Blackpool, moved from Cardiff to Sunderland, then newly promoted to the Premier League, in 2007 attracted largely by the signing-on fee he would receive.
“I was at Cardiff for one year and then I went to Sunderland,” he said. “I got a signing-on fee and paid my debts off. The main reason I went to Sunderland was to pay my debts off. When you go to the Premier League you earn more money.”
Chopra was giving evidence at the trial of four men on drugs charges. As part of the case, the prosecution says a sum of £50,000 found in a car was drug money but one of the accused instead claims it was cash to pay-off a loan shark from Liverpool on behalf of Chopra.
Earlier this year Chopra said he had “voluntarily excluded himself from all betting institutions… to help me fight this illness”. That came as part of a statement in response to being charged by the British Horseracing Authority for “serious breaches of the rules of racing”.
Chopra said he could not afford to defend himself and in January he was banned from all racecourses for 10 years after the BHA’s investigation into a “corrupt network” that gambled on horses to lose.
Aston Villa v Sunderland: match preview
Read a full match preview of the Premier League game between Aston Villa and Sunderland at Villa Park on Saturday Nov 30, 2013, kick-off 15.00 (GMT).
Saturday, November 30, 2013 Aston Villa v Sunderland, Villa Park
Kick-off: 15.00 GMT. TV: Highlights, BBC ONE Match of the Day.
Team News
Paul Lambert must decide whether to restore forwards Gabriel Agbonlahor and Andreas Weimann to the Aston Villa starting line-up against Sunderland on Saturday.
The pair came on as second-half substitutes in Monday's 2-2 draw with local rivals West Brom after recent injuries, along with midfielder Fabian Delph.
All three are available for Sunderland's visit, as is left-back Antonio Luna after a recent hamstring complaint.
Meanwhile, Wes Brown is set to line up for Sunderland after having his red card in last week's defeat at Stoke rescinded by a Football Association appeals panel.
Manager Gus Poyet can also call on Lee Cattermole and Andrea Dossena, both of whom have completed three-game bans as a result of their recent sendings-off at Hull.
Vito Mannone is set to keep his place in goal as Keiren Westwood struggles to recover from a slight knock, while Carlos Cuéllar is still sidelined with a hip injury.
Match Notes Last season's 6-1 battering at Villa Park precipitated the demise of Paolo Di Canio and still holds grisly memories for the players that remain.
Sunderland's away form has not improved since that disastrous evening in April and Gus Poyet has demanded an improvement before the hands of relegation pull his team further into trouble.
There have been steady signs of progress at Villa ever since that win, with their new-found strength of character demonstrated in the comeback draw at West Brom on Monday.
Stat of the game: There have been four red cards in the last three league meetings between these teams at Villa Park..
John Percy's prediction: Aston Villa 1 Sunderland 1.
JACK Colback says Sunderland must look to control the game as much as possible at Villa Park tomorrow using Gus Poyet’s brand of patient, passing football.
The midfielder feels the way the Uruguayan wants his team to play may actually suit the Black Cats more away from home than it does at the Stadium of Light.
And the 24-year-old, who has been involved in every one of Sunderland’s Premier League games this season, believes the new style is also well suited to his own particular strengths.
“I’m relishing the way we’re wanting to play now to be honest,” he told the Echo.
“It’s a style I haven’t really played under before but it’s a style that I think most footballers should want to pursue - it’s all about keeping the ball and dictating player and creating chances.
“And I think the more and more we get used to it the better we will be at putting it into practice.”
Sunderland were a goal behind to Stoke at the Britannia Stadium last weekend when the game was completely changed by Wes Brown’s wrongful 36th minute sending off.
But up until that point, Sunderland had largely bossed the game and Charlie Adam’s opener had come against the run of play.
And Colback is hopeful his side can continue their policy of containment on their travels.
He said: “Home fans expect their team to come out, be dominant and be creating plenty of chances and that’s completely understandable.
“It may take a bit of time for our fans to get used to us playing that way, even though it has brought us wins over Newcastle and Manchester City.
“But away from home I think it is ideal because we can just concentrate on keeping the ball and controlling the game without feeling any pressure.
“And if we do that successfully it will frustrate the home crowd and increase our chances of getting the points we need away from home.
“The style is all about being confident in possession, about not being afraid to hold on to the ball when you have it, but also about looking to use it well and effectively when you go on the attack.”
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Ex-Sunderland player ‘humbled’ by university honour
AN England football star told the Echo she is “humbled” to be awarded a top honour from the University of Sunderland.
Steph Houghton, a former Sunderland AFC Women’s player, along with world-renowned neurosurgeon, Professor Sir Graham M Teasdale, will receive an honorary degree from Chancellor of the University, athletics legend Steve Cram, as part of the two-day winter graduation ceremonies.
They will receive the awards as graduates celebrate their success with friends, family and loved ones at the Stadium of Light on Thursday and Friday, December 5 and 6.
Steph is an international footballer who became a household name following her goalscoring exploits at the London 2012 Olympics.
Born in Durham, she made her club debut for Sunderland before winning the FA Women’s Premier League Cup for Leeds United Ladies and then signing for Arsenal in 2010.
She has since played 38 times for the England national team and became Team GB’s record goal scorer at the London 2012 Olympics. Steph will receive an Honorary Fellowship in recognition of her outstanding success in 2012.
The footballer said: “I’m thrilled and honoured to be receiving such a massive award from the university, and very surprised as well. I am really looking forward to the day. I’ve been all measured up for my gown.
“It’s fantastic recognition and I am very humbled.”
Steph, who already has a BA in Sports Science after studying at Loughborough University, said it is extra special getting the fellowship from a university in her native North East and where women’s football is recognised and supported.
Professor Teasdale is a world-renowned neurosurgeon, who alongside Professor Bryan Jennett, invented the Glasgow Coma Scale, now used in hospitals worldwide to measure the progress of head injury victims.
He was born in Spennymoor and trained at Durham Medical School and then the Institute of Neurological Sciences in Glasgow.
Professor Teasdale is to receive an Honorary Doctorate of Science in recognition of his outstanding contribution in the field of neuroscience and neurosurgery.
University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Fidler, said: “Our honoraries have all made highly significant contributions within their fields and will inspire our graduates as they celebrate their academic success and embark on their careers. We are proud to pay tribute to them.”
‘I believe Cattermole can keep his cool’ – Sunderland boss Poyet
SUNDERLAND boss Gus Poyet has backed Lee Cattermole to keep a lid on his temper and play a crucial role in leading his club out of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone.
Cattermole is in line to return to the Black Cats line-up at Aston Villa on Saturday after completing a three-game suspension following his red card at Hull.
And despite disciplinary problems which have seen Cattermole sent off eight times in his career, Poyet re-iterated the 25-year-old’s importance to his long-term plans.
Poyet said: “I need to make sure Lee knows he is important to the team, and Lee needs to make sure he keeps his cool a little bit better.
“He’s an important player - he’s a leader, he’s strong and he doesn’t accept defeat - and sometimes you need those kinds of characters.”
Poyet will also be boosted by Wes Brown’s availability for the trip to Villa after his own controversial sending-off at Stoke last weekend was rescinded by the Football Association.
Poyet added: “I think it is important for many reasons because we are trying to create some consistency in the team especially at the back, because I think we are getting better.
“When you have a player like Wes in your team it’s definitely a little bit easier. We had a couple of interesting days waiting to see if he would be available, and after his clearance it made our preparations a lot easier.”
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Sunderland defender Scott Harrison joins Bury on loan
League Two side Bury have signed defender Scott Harrison on loan from Sunderland until 1 January.
The 20-year-old, who came through the youth system at Darlington, is yet to make a first-team appearance for the Premier League side.
However, he was an unused substitute for the Black Cats last term.
Harrison will compete with fellow centre-backs Nathan Cameron, William Edjenguele and Richard Hinds for a spot in Ronnie Jepson's starting line-up.
Aston Villa and Sunderland stalemate does little to entertain Prince William.
Does being second in line to the throne entitle one to be first to the Villa Park exit? That is the question Prince William may have found himself asking on his maiden visit to the home of the team he supports, as Aston Villa and Sunderland served up a no-frills draw fit for a pauper. You could say it was heartening that neither team played above their usual standards just to impress a royal guest but this was better than Sunderland normally perform on their travels.
Sunderland had lost 13 of their previous 15 away league matches and had three players sent off in their last two so a clean sheet and a point amounted to progress. Gus Poyet's men might even have returned with a rare victory as they created the clearest chances in a scruffy game, Emanuel Giaccherini perpetrating an incredible close-range miss in the first half and Fabio Borini heading against the crossbar in the second. But for most of the match the play was slovenly, with both teams guilty of making more misguided passes than boozed-up workers at an office Christmas party.
The tone was set in the warm-up, when Phil Bardsley and Andrea Dossena exchanged angry shoves after the Italian inadvertently tripped his team-mates. That at least showed Sunderland had come to scrap. Poyet was pleased. "A little bit of tension is nice, especially when you're down at the bottom," he said
Once the game kicked off there were only sporadic incidents of interest. Gabriel Agbonlahor nodded a Fabian Delph cross wide from six yards in the third minute. Two minutes later he missed again, sending a soft 20-yard shot into the arms of Vitor Mannone. Sunderland then threatened for the first time when Steven Fletcher led a counterattack before feeding Dossena, who boomed a 20-yard shot into the side netting.
After that opening salvo of shots the game sunk into a tedium that was not relieved until the 30th minute, when Villa produced a smooth move that involved Karim El Ahmadi and Ashley Westwood, but Christian Benteke skied the ball from 12 yards. The previously prolific Belgian has not scored for seven matches and was peripheral to most of the action in this match. He looked low on confidence and a handful of Villa fans jeered when he was substituted towards the end.
Nearly everyone jeered Giaccherini just before half-time. Borini rolled a short corner to the impressive Sung-Yeung Ki, who delivered a cross to the back post. Bardsley headed across goal to his compatriot, who seemed certain to tap into the net but, to the delight of the home fans, Giaccherini lifted the ball over the bar from three yards.
He nearly compensated for that in the 67th minute when he produced a wonderful cross for Borini, but the latter's powerful header from eight yards bounced off the bar.
There were 23 minutes left but anyone who left early missed nothing else. It could be a while before the Prince returns. "I don't think he'll be watching Match of the Day," said Paul Lambert.
Aston Villa 0 Sunderland 0: Poyet's boys hold firm in front of Prince William to seal first point on the road since August.
Aston Villa and Sunderland played out a largely forgettable 0-0 draw in front of the watching Duke of Cambridge at Villa Park.
The hosts were looking for their first home back-to-back Barclays Premier League victories since August 2010 but not even Villa supporter Prince William, donning a club scarf and coat as he looked on from owner Randy Lerner's executive box, could inspire them to victory.
Indeed it was Sunderland who came closest to all three points as they chased their first away win of the season, although they do return to the north east with a first point on their travels since the end of August.
In stark contrast to the Black Cats' recent home form, Gus Poyet had overseen three away defeats which contained three red cards and three own goals since taking charge.
But recalled striker Fabio Borini came closest to a winner as his glancing second-half header rebounded off the crossbar, while Emanuele Giaccherini contributed a worthy contender for miss of the season from a mere four yards just before half-time.
As poor as Sunderland have been away from home this year - 12 defeats from 15 league games in 2013 before kick-off - Villa have struggled almost as much in front of their own fans.
A 2-0 win over Cardiff last time out was only the club's 11th league victory in 44 attempts at Villa Park.
And there was very little for the 33,036 present to get excited about, with star striker Christian Benteke, now without a goal in seven appearances, largely anonymous in attack and even substituted before full-time.
The dour encounter proved a far cry from Villa's 6-1 success in last season's corresponding fixture in April.
Wes Brown took his place in Sunderland's starting XI having seen last week's controversial red card at Stoke rescinded upon appeal, manager Poyet making three changes from the 2-0 defeat at the Britannia Stadium.
Paul Lambert, meanwhile, handed starts to Gabriel Agbonlahor, Andreas Weimann and Fabian Delph after the fit-again trio came off the bench to inspire a second-half comeback in Monday's 2-2 draw at West Brom. Antonio Luna also returned from injury.
Both sides enjoyed half-chances inside the opening five minutes, Agbonlahor heading wide at the back post while Andrea Dossena - one of those recalled for the Black Cats alongside Borini and ex-Villa midfielder Craig Gardner - fired into the side-netting at the other end.
However, the opening quarter of a cagey clash was dominated by a lack of quality in the final third with neither goalkeeper forced into a real save of note.
The hosts lived dangerously during a couple of Sunderland corners but the away side lacked the cutting edge to take advantage.
The first clear chance went the way of Villa in the 29th minute but an unmarked Benteke could only fire high and wide from 12 yards.
Sebastian Larsson curled a free-kick narrowly off target for the visitors while Delph let go of an effort from long-range.
Gardner had the ball in the net just prior to half-time but was rightly flagged for offside, before Giaccherini - in plenty of space - somehow put over the crossbar from four yards having been found by Phil Bardsley's header.
Villa started the second half the brighter of the two sides but Vito Mannone was merely forced into a couple of routine stops.
The game's closest opening came in the 66th minute as Borini header Giaccherini's left-wing cross against the woodwork.
Poyet and Lambert made changes as they went of search of a late winner, Benteke being replaced by Libor Kozak, but neither side could find anything in the final third as both sides were forced to settle for a share of the spoils.
Match facts:
Aston Villa: (4-3-3) Guzan 6, Bacuna 6, Vlaar 6, Clark 6, Luna 6; Westwood 7, Delph 6,
El Ahmadi 5; (Tonev 71, 5) Weimann 5, (Albrighton 71, 5) Benteke 5, (Kozak 86) Agbonlahor 6
Hull's Steve Bruce: Liverpool's Jordan Henderson would have kept me in Sunderland role
STEVE BRUCE says Jordan Henderson could have saved him from the sack at Sunderland – if the England man had stuck around for long enough.
Bruce was in charge of the Black Cats when Henderson left the Stadium of Light for Liverpool in a £16million deal back in 2011.
Five months later, Bruce was out of a job as Sunderland faced relegation from the Premier League.
And ahead of today’s game, the Hull boss said: “One of the reasons I think I got the sack was losing people like Jordan – my best players. But how could I deny him a move to Liverpool? I couldn’t.
“I’m delighted he’s doing well – I always knew he would.”
“How could I deny him a move to Liverpool? I couldn’t”
Steve Bruce
Sunderland v Chelsea: match preview
Read a full match preview of the Premier League game between Sunderland and Chelsea at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday Dec 4, 2013, kick-off 19.45 (GMT).
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Sunderland v Chelsea
Stadium of Light
Kick-off: 19.45 GMT.
Chelsea (Possible, 4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Lampard, Ramires; Willian, Mata, Hazard; Torres.
Out: Kalas (leg), Van Ginkel (knee), Luiz (knee), Oscar (ankle).
Test: Eto'o (groin).
Referee: Phil Dowd. Matches: 10, R0 Y42.
Betting: Home 9-2, Away 8-15, Draw 3-1.
Team News
Sunderland defender John O'Shea has handed manager Gus Poyet a major boost by training ahead of Wednesday night's tough Premier League clash with Chelsea.
The Republic of Ireland international ended Saturday's 0-0 draw at Aston Villa with a groin problem, but appears to have recovered and is in line to retain his place.
However, keeper Keiren Westwood and defender Carlos Cuéllar remain on the injured list and will not be involved once again.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will be without Brazilian duo David Luiz and Oscar at Sunderland on Wednesday.
Luiz is still struggling with a knee injury while Oscar was forced off in Sunday's 3-1 win over Southampton with an ankle problem, although Mourinho is not expecting either player to be missing for too long.
Samuel Eto'o is back in contention following his groin injury with midfielder Marco van Ginkel the only long-term absentee.
Match Notes
Chelsea are showing a head of steam in the Premier League at the right time and will relish the chance to make amends for their last trip to the north east.
On that occasion they lost 2-0 at Newcastle but since then they have taken six points from three games.
Sunderland manager Gus Poyet spent three years as a player at Chelsea, having arrived in England from Real Zaragoza, but the Uruguayan knows that if his side cannot score against Aston Villa, they struggle to beat his old club.
Stat of the game: Chelsea have won 16 of their 17 Premier League games against Sunderland.
SUNDERLAND v CHELSEA: All the latest team news and stats ahead of the Stadium of Light clash
Stadium of Light (Wednesday, 7.45pm)
Sunderland team news:
Defender John O'Shea has handed Sunderland boss Gus Poyet a major boost by training ahead of Wednesday night's tough Barclays Premier League clash with Chelsea.
The Republic of Ireland international ended Saturday's 0-0 draw at Aston Villa with a groin problem, but appears to have recovered and is in line to retain his place.
However, keeper Keiren Westwood (shoulder) and defender Carlos Cuellar (hip) remain on the injured list and will not be involved once again.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will be without Brazilian duo David Luiz and Oscar for the Blues' Barclays Premier League clash at Sunderland on Wednesday.
Luiz is still struggling with a knee injury while Oscar was forced off in Sunday's 3-1 win over Southampton with an ankle problem, although Mourinho is not expecting either player to be missing for too long.
Samuel Eto'o is back in contention following his groin injury with midfielder Marco van Ginkel (knee) the only long-term absentee.
Sunderland have scored just 12 goals in their last 14 Premier League matches at the Stadium of Light.
Chelsea have won 16 and lost one of their last 17 Premier League games against Sunderland.
Fernando Torres has scored six goals in seven Premier League starts against Sunderland – against no side has he netted more in the competition.
Torres has scored three goals in his last three Premier League appearances at the Stadium of Light.
Chelsea have only won back to back Premier League away games once in 2013.
Sunderland have attempted fewer shots on target than any other team in the top flight this season (30) and attempted just one in their last PL game versus Aston Villa at the weekend.
Chelsea have scored three times in each of their last two games, they have not managed three-plus in three successive Premier League games since October 2011 and have only done it four times in total so far.
Sunderland have conceded more own goals than any other Premier League team this season (3).
Against Villa at the weekend, Sunderland became only the second team in Premier League history to name four Italians in the starting line-up (after Chelsea in 2000).
Chelsea have been caught offside more often than any other Premier League side this season (43 times).
45:00 +2:16 Half time
First Half ends, Sunderland 1, Chelsea 2. 45:00 +1:53 Foul by Fernando Torres (Chelsea). 45:00 +1:53 Ki Sung-Yueng (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 45:00 +1:22
Booking Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. 45:00 +1:14 Eden Hazard (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing. 45:00 +1:14 Foul by Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland). 45:00 +0:18 Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Vito Mannone. 45:00 +0:17 Attempt saved. Eden Hazard (Chelsea) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Juan Mata. 39:10 Delay over. They are ready to continue. 38:50 Booking
Booking Andrea Dossena (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. 38:25 Delay in match Juan Mata (Chelsea) because of an injury. 38:01 Juan Mata (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the right wing. 38:01 Foul by Andrea Dossena (Sunderland). 37:41 John Terry (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 37:41 Foul by Jozy Altidore (Sunderland). 35:54 Goal scored
Goal! Goal! Sunderland 1, Chelsea 2. Eden Hazard (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Fernando Torres with a headed pass. 34:33 Attempt blocked. Wes Brown (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by John O'Shea. 34:15 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by César Azpilicueta. 33:52 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by César Azpilicueta. 33:17 Foul by Fernando Torres (Chelsea). 33:17 Wes Brown (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 32:42 Attempt missed. Fernando Torres (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right following a set piece situation. 32:04 Juan Mata (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the right wing. 32:04 Foul by Andrea Dossena (Sunderland). 31:16 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by César Azpilicueta. 30:56 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Petr Cech. 30:53 Attempt missed. Andrea Dossena (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. 26:20 Attempt missed. Frank Lampard (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Juan Mata. 24:31 Foul by César Azpilicueta (Chelsea). 24:31 Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 20:33 Attempt missed. Ramires (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Willian. 17:35 Gary Cahill (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 17:35 Foul by Jozy Altidore (Sunderland). 16:42 Goal scored
Goal! Goal! Sunderland 1, Chelsea 1. Frank Lampard (Chelsea) header from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Eden Hazard with a cross following a corner. 16:17 Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by John O'Shea. 13:26 Goal scored
Goal! Goal! Sunderland 1, Chelsea 0. Jozy Altidore (Sunderland) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jack Colback following a set piece situation. 13:23 Attempt blocked. Andrea Dossena (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. 12:23 Jozy Altidore (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 12:23 Foul by César Azpilicueta (Chelsea). 10:49 Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the right wing. 10:49 Foul by César Azpilicueta (Chelsea). 9:58 Attempt missed. Frank Lampard (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Eden Hazard. 7:00 Attempt missed. Eden Hazard (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. 5:36 Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 5:36 Foul by César Azpilicueta (Chelsea). 4:12 Foul by Andrea Dossena (Sunderland). 4:12 Juan Mata (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the right wing. 3:05 Jozy Altidore (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 3:05 Foul by John Terry (Chelsea). 2:34 Foul by Jozy Altidore (Sunderland). 2:34 Gary Cahill (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 1:49 Attempt missed. Fabio Borini (Sunderland) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Emanuele Giaccherini. 0:55 Attempt blocked. Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Craig Gardner. 0:00 First Half begins. 0:00 Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
2105: GOAL - Sunderland 2-3 Chelsea - Eden Hazard (62 mins) Eden Hazard is having a stormer tonight. Sunderland decide to double up on the Chelsea forward, who plays a neat one-two with Frank Lampard and cuts inside before firing in his second of the evening. Tremendous.
2052: GOAL - Sunderland 2-2 Chelsea - John O'Shea (50 mins) Gus Poyet must have got the hairdryer out at half-time as Sunderland come out fighting - levelling when John O'Shea picks up on a loose ball from a corner and smashes home. Game on.
2021: GOAL- Sunderland 1-2 Chelsea - Eden Hazard (37 mins) A touch of class from Eden Hazard, who picks the ball up on the left and cuts inside before firing into the bottom corner. Jose Mourinho punches the air in delight, Gus Poyet slumps into his seat.
2002: GOAL- Sunderland 1-1 Chelsea - Frank Lampard (17 mins) That didn't last long, did it? As Sunderland fail to deal with a Chelsea corner, Eden Hazard picks the ball up on the left and dinks a lovely ball into the box where Frank Lampard is right on cue to head home. Textbook Lamps.
1958: GOAL- Sunderland 1-0 Chelsea - Jozy Altidore (14 mins)It's the night of the stand-ins alright. American striker Jozy Altidore puts Sunderland into a surprise lead against Chelsea when he spins on a sixpence and rifles home from 12 yards after Andrea Dossena's free-kick was only partially cleared.
2128: GOAL - Chelsea 4-3 Sunderland - Phil Bardsley Phil Bardsley levels his account for the night as he stabs home from eight yards as Chelsea fail to clear a corner. Surely the Black Cats can't grab a point? Can they?
2127: GOAL - Chelsea 4-2 Sunderland - Phil Bardsley own goal (84 mins) Game, set and match at the Stadium of Light as Sunderland defender Phil Bardsley diverts Demba Ba's ball across the six-yard area into his own net. Three points to Chelsea.
90:00 +3:25 Attempt missed. Fabio Borini (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. 89:31 SubstitutionSubstitution, Chelsea. Andre Schürrle replaces Willian. 89:18 Booking Booking Willian (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card. 85:19 Goal scored
Goal! Goal! Sunderland 3, Chelsea 4. Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland) left footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal following a corner. 84:59 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Frank Lampard. 84:31 Foul by Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea). 84:31 Jozy Altidore (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the left wing. 83:19 Goal scored
Goal!
Own Goal by Phillip Bardsley, Sunderland. Sunderland 2, Chelsea 4. 82:07 Foul by Demba Ba (Chelsea). 82:07 Wes Brown (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 81:33 Attempt missed. Ki Sung-Yueng (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. 80:36 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. John Obi Mikel replaces Juan Mata. 79:58 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Steven Fletcher replaces Craig Gardner. 79:33 Attempt missed. Ramires (Chelsea) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left. 79:24 Attempt missed. Frank Lampard (Chelsea) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right following a set piece situation. 78:48 Eden Hazard (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing. 78:48 Foul by Ki Sung-Yueng (Sunderland). 77:38 Attempt missed. Demba Ba (Chelsea) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Eden Hazard. 73:05 Attempt missed. Demba Ba (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Eden Hazard. 72:23 Attempt missed. Willian (Chelsea) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Juan Mata.
71:43 Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by John O'Shea. 71:41 Attempt blocked. Demba Ba (Chelsea) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Willian with a cross. 66:47 John Terry (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 66:47 Foul by Jozy Altidore (Sunderland). 65:41 Foul by Ramires (Chelsea). 65:41 Fabio Borini (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the left wing. 65:07 Foul by Willian (Chelsea). 65:07 Fabio Borini (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 64:51 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Adam Johnson replaces Emanuele Giaccherini. 64:36 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Demba Ba replaces Fernando Torres. 63:51 Attempt blocked. Juan Mata (Chelsea) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Willian. 61:53 Booking
Booking
Eden Hazard (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration. 61:22 Goal scored
Goal!
Goal! Sunderland 2, Chelsea 3. Eden Hazard (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Frank Lampard. 59:12 Attempt blocked. Fabio Borini (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by John O'Shea. 58:28 Foul by John Terry (Chelsea). 58:28 Jozy Altidore (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 56:59 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Sebastian Larsson replaces Jack Colback. 56:28 Attempt missed. Fernando Torres (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. 56:27 Attempt saved. Eden Hazard (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Fernando Torres. 54:57 Willian (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 54:57 Foul by Jack Colback (Sunderland). 53:21 Ramires (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 53:21 Foul by Fabio Borini (Sunderland). 52:51 Eden Hazard (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing. 52:51 Foul by Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland). 52:31 Eden Hazard (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing. 52:31 Foul by Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland). 51:10 John O'Shea (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 51:01 Foul by Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea). 50:45 Booking
Booking
Jack Colback (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card. 50:33 Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Ki Sung-Yueng. 49:06 Goal scored
Goal!
Goal! Sunderland 2, Chelsea 2. John O'Shea (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner following a corner. 49:04 Attempt blocked. Wes Brown (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Emanuele Giaccherini with a cross. 48:42 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Eden Hazard. 47:07 Booking
Booking
Ramires (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. 47:02 Foul by Ramires (Chelsea). 47:02 Jozy Altidore (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the left wing. 45:40 Attempt blocked. Juan Mata (Chelsea) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Gary Cahill. 45:09 Fernando Torres (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing. 45:09 Foul by John O'Shea (Sunderland). 45:00
Second Half begins Sunderland 1, Chelsea 2.
Sunderland 3 Chelsea 4: Hazard fires title warning with brace in seven goal thriller at Stadium of Light
Chelsea made amends for their previous visit to the North East - which saw them lose 2-0 to Newcastle - by beating a spirited Sunderland 4-3 in a seven goal thriller at the Stadium of Light.
The Black Cats took an unexpected lead through Jozy Altidore who scored his first goal for the club and only his second in 40 Premier League appearances.
However, Frank Lampard equalised within three minutes before an inspired Eden Hazard gave the Blues a 2-1 first-half lead after cutting in and firing a drilled shot beyond Vito Mannone.
Sunderland captain John O'Shea levelled early in the second half but Hazard would not be denied with a beautiful effort following a sublime pass from Lampard.
Phil Bardsley then scored an own goal before making amends at the opposite end from a corner.
The win keeps Chelsea within touching distance of the league pace setters and maintains an impressive record against Sunderland that has seen them win 17 of their last 18 encounters.
MATCH FACTS
Sunderland: Mannone, Bardsley, Dossena, Ki, O'Shea, Brown, Giaccherini, Gardner, Altidore, Colback, Borini
Subs not used: Larsson, Fletcher, Johnson, Celustka, Pickford, Roberge, Cattermole
<<duds Premier League: Eden Hazard scored twice as Chelsea claimed a 4-3 win at Sunderland
A sublime performance from Eden Hazard inspired Chelsea to an enthralling 4-3 win at Sunderland.
Jozy Altidore's first ever goal for Sunderland came just 14-minutes in to give them the lead, but Chelsea were level moments later when Frank Lampard headed home Hazard's chipped cross in from close-range.
Hazard was a thorn in Sunderland's side from the first whistle and it was little surprise when he fired them ahead ten-minutes before the break as he cut in from the left before firing beyond Vito Mannone.
Sunderland battled hard and levelled just after the break when captain John O'Shea fired home as Chelsea failed to clear a corner.
Hazard then restored the lead and it was another wonderful strike as he exchanged passes with Lampard before firing home on the hour.
The game looked to have been won when Phil Bardsley had a lapse in concentration and slid Demba Ba's cross into his own goal with six-minutes left.
The Scotland defender made amends and set-up a grandstand finish though as he converted from a corner just two-minutes later, as Chelsea again failed to defend a simple set-piece.
With six-minutes of added time announced the home crowd roared looking for an equaliser, but it did not arrive as Chelsea remain in second with Sunderland propping up the rest of the division.
Seven up for youngsters: Sunderland U18 7 Bolton Wanderers U18 0
Sunderland ran riot in a seven-goal demolition of Bolton at the Academy of Light.
It was a smooth, clinical performance enhanced by seven goals of the highest quality, with Wanderers having no answer.
The young Black Cats took an early lead in the seventh minute when Lynden Gooch was brought down inside the penalty area and Martin Smith (pictured) hammered the spot-kick high to the right of Bolton keeper William Jaaskelainen, son of the current West Ham keeper.
Defender Tom Beadling got the second in the 18th minute when he picked up the ball a good 25 yards out and hit a scorcher which skidded off the damp turf low into the corner of the net.
On the half-hour mark it was three when Rees Greenwood fed Gooch, who turned and delicately chipped a super ball into the six-yard box for Andrew Nelson to head powerfully home.
Shortly afterwards Gooch himself made a brilliant pacey run, beating four men only to see his goal-bound effort cleared off the line.
Greenwood made it four on 40 minutes when he came in from the left, beating three defenders before placing the ball wide of the keeper.
Two minutes before the break, Gooch forced a good save from Jaaskelainen but the ball fell to Ethan Robson, whose strike hit the bar before Nelson hit a marvellous volley into the roof of the net.
The visitors marginally improved in the second period but the Wearsiders still added two more goals for good measure with Gooch bursting down the left to draw the keeper and slip the ball home from a tight angle.
The final nail in the coffin came on 65 minutes when Smith, who was outstanding throughout, played a neat one-two with Gooch before side-footing just inside the post to complete the rout.
Coach Carlton Fairweather was delighted with the display, saying: "We have been threatening to do this for a few games now even though this was not one of our best performances.
“Bolton had a young side out but so did we, including the subs.”
Sunderland: Burke, Ledger, T Robson (Ellison, 65), E Robson (Wright, 70), Colquhoun, Beadling, Greenwood, Smith, Nelson (Blinco, 65), Gooch, McEvoy.
U21 side hit five at Arsenal, Arsenal U21 1 Sunderland U21 5
Mikael Mandron scored a hat-trick on his return to Sunderland’s development squad as the young Black Cats hammered Arsenal 5-1 at Boreham Wood.
Sunderland were outstanding from start to finish and goals either side of half time from Duncan Watmore and Craig Lynch added gloss to a scoreline that merited the performance.
Jon Toral replied for the hosts in the second half but Sunderland’s possession football from defence to attack was evident throughout.
Mandron will take the plaudits, and rightly so, but the Black Cats’ team effort was near perfect.
Coach Kevin Ball made six changes to the side that lost at Burnley the previous week with Watmore, Mandron, Liam Agnew, Tom McNamee, George Honeyman and Jordan Laidler all returning.
The young Black Cats showed class from the off in their patient build-up and possession football with Agnew, Lynch and Laidler at the heart of Sunderland’s creative midfield.
It wasn’t until the tenth minute that the visitors had an effort on goal as Mandron latched onto Lynch’s through ball and slid just wide from the corner of the box.
The away side continued to keep the ball and dominate possession with McNamee, Louis Laing and John Egan all supplying assured defensive displays whilst also seeing their fair share of the ball.
Sunderland were ahead just after the half-hour as Watmore cut in from the right and played a neat one-two with Honeyman before finishing coolly past Arsenal keeper Viviano.
The Gunners almost replied immediately as Thomas Eisfeld found some rare space behind the Black Cats’ defence and rounded Joel Dixon before clipping the outside of the post from a narrow angle.
Watmore volleyed over from 25 yards before the lead was doubled on the stroke of half time.
The former Altrincham man weaved into the area and forced a fine save from Viviano before the Italian was quick to deny Lynch on the follow-up, however Mandron was on hand to nod home the second rebound from inside the six-yard box.
Sunderland made it 3-0 after just five second-half minutes as Agnew found Watmore with a fine pass before the winger managed to find Mandron, who slotted home his sixth goal in six games with a fine finish.
Arsenal got one back just after the hour as Toral drove home from the corner of the box following some sustained pressure from the hosts.
The Gunners went close to a second minutes later as Tafari Moore pulled back for Chuba Akpom only for the striker to scuff wide from 10 yards.
Lynch nearly added a fourth for Sunderland with a 25-yard drive but Viviano was on hand to palm the midfielder’s stinging shot away.
Agnew, who orchestrated proceedings from midfield, found Watmore with a lobbed pass on the half-volley but the young winger steered over after cutting onto his left foot.
The same pair combined minutes later with Agnew feeding Watmore on the counter but the summer signing couldn’t get the ball out of his feet to beat Viviano.
Lynch made it 4-1 with a fine effort 15 minutes from time as he curled into Viviano’s bottom left hand corner from the edge of the area.
Substitute Adam Mitchell nearly made it 5-1 in the 82nd minute as Laidler fed through the County Durham-born youngster who did well to bring down the pass before forcing a fine save from Viviano.
Akpom drove a late shot over after good play from Toral but it was the Black Cats who would finish the match in style as Mandron sealed his hat-trick with a glancing finish from Mitchell's cross.
Black Cats denied in seven-goal thriller.
Sunderland eventually succumbed to their first home defeat of the Gus Poyet era despite netting three times during a topsy-turvy clash with Chelsea.
After going ahead early on thanks to Jozy Altidore’s first league goal from the club, Sunderland came from behind to level when skipper John O’Shea netted in the 50th minute following first-half strikes from Frank Lampard and Eden Hazard.
Hazard – who produced a fine individual display – then gave Chelsea a 3-2 lead before a late Phil Bardsley own goal looked to have put Sunderland on the canvas.
However, the hosts dramatically reduced the deficit through Bardsley, who atoned for his mistake at the other end when he drove the ball home in the 86th minute to set up a tense finale.
Poyet’s Black Cats dropped just short in the end, though not through a lack of effort.
Altidore responded with a goal after just 15 minutes having been handed a start ahead of Steven Fletcher, while Jack Colback replaced Seb Larsson in midfield.
Poyet had been pleased with his side’s approach to the game at Aston Villa in their last outing and they started in a similar vein against Jose Mourinho’s high-flyers.
Emanuele Giaccherini fired wide from a Fabio Borini pass after just two minutes, while moments later Borini turned smartly to get away down the right and blasted a cross-shot past the far post.
Hazard and Lampard responded with errant efforts from distance for Chelsea, but Sunderland had made the better start and they were rewarded with a breakthrough on the quarter-hour.
Colback managed to shovel the ball into Altidore’s path after Andrea Dossena’s free kick on the edge of the box was deflected to him, and the American did the rest, turning well to beat Petr Cech with a left-footed shot.
However, the lead was wiped out two minutes later when the unmarked Lampard headed in Hazard’s cross from four yards out.
That quick-fire response was the signal for Chelsea to push on, which they duly did despite Cech being forced to push away a powerful drive from Dossena.
Fernando Torres saw a serviceable chance pass by when he volleyed over from 12 yards after Altidore half-cleared Juan Mata’s corner, but the visitors cashed in with their next opportunity as Hazard found the net eight minutes before the break.
Cutting in off the left flank, the Belgian drifted across the face of the box before dispatching a crisp effort into the far corner of the net, giving Vito Mannone no chance.
Sunderland were then grateful to O’Shea for some excellent defensive work after Torres broke through on the end of Lampard’s lofted through ball.
Meanwhile Mannone made a smart near-post save to deny Hazard as Chelsea finished the first period on the front foot.
But for all the visitors’ quality in the closing stages of the opening half, Sunderland’s efforts had ensured they were far from out of the contest - as O’Shea proved five minutes after the restart.
Giaccherini’s low corner from the right was missed by Wes Brown, but Sunderland’s captain was positioned behind him to fire powerfully home beyond a helpless Cech.
The effort flew in off the covering John Terry, although the shot would still have found the back of the net without the defender's intervention.
Mannone then produced an excellent save to deny Hazard on a breakaway just before the hour – the home crowd held their breath as the rebound fell to Torres, but the Spanish striker blazed way over the bar.
Colback – already booked for a foul and treading a thin line after pulling back Willian – was replaced by Larsson as Chelsea pushed on.
And another moment of individual quality paid off for the visitors as Hazard bagged his second goal to re-establish Chelsea’s lead on 62 minutes.
Playing a neat one-two out on the left, Hazard drove inside before twisting to fire the ball past Mannone from 16 yards.
Poyet responded by replacing Giaccherini with Adam Johnson, looking to provide a different option going forward.
Ba wasted a chance to extend Chelsea’s lead 18 minutes from time, appearing to slip at the vital moment when shooting on the edge of the box following an incisive pass from Hazard.
And a strong run from Ramires ended in a low cross-shot just wide, with Poyet opting to make his third and final change with Craig Gardner withdrawn for Fletcher.
It was a roll of the dice from Sunderland’s head coach as he looked to rescue a point, with the hosts looking to get men forward in support of their dual strikers.
Ki blasted wide after Johnson’s excellent cross was well punched out by Cech, but Sunderland were hit by a sucker punch at the other end when Bardsley slid sub Demba Ba’s pull-back into his own net.
It looked like game over with six minutes minutes to go – but Sunderland kept plugging away and Bardsley had his moment of redemption just moments later.
Larsson swung in a corner which ricocheted off John Obi Mikel and ran straight to the defender, who drilled the ball into the back of the net from close range.
The goal set up a grandstand finish – but the hosts couldn’t conjure up what would have been a sensational leveller with a Johnson drive the closest they came.
The winger then pulled the ball back for Ki on the edge of the box deep into stoppage time, but the Korean couldn’t get a touch and Chelsea breathed a sigh of relief as they sealed the points.
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Manchester City Ladies: Arsenal's Steph Houghton to join in January
Arsenal and England defender Steph Houghton has agreed a move to Manchester City Ladies and will sign a three-year contract in January.
The 25-year-old has played 40 times for her country and also represented Team GB at the 2012 Olympics in London.
Houghton captained Arsenal to an FA Cup and Continental Cup double in 2013, but the Gunners could only finish third in the Women's Super League.
City will compete in the expanded WSL for the first time in 2014.
Fellow England internationals Jill Scott, Karen Bardsley and Toni Duggan have also signed for the Blues ahead of next season.
"I'm so glad that City came in for me because as soon as I heard their plans for the future, I knew I wanted to be part of it," the former Sunderland and Leeds player told her new club's website.
"I'd like to thank Arsenal very much for everything they've done for me. They've helped me to grow as a player and it was a massive decision for me to leave. I had three very successful years there and I didn't take the decision lightly."
An England debutant in 2007, injuries prevented Houghton from appearing in that year's World Cup and Euro 2009, although she did feature at the 2011 World Cup and a disappointing Euro 2013 campaign.
She came to prominence with a series of impressive displays for Great Britain during London 2012 and scored the winning goal in a 1-0 group win against Brazil at Wembley.
Sunderland - Tottenham Preview: Spurs scoring less than a goal per game
The north Londoners need to up their chance conversion but face the Premier League's joint-leakiest defence when they travel to the Stadium of Light on Saturday
Sunderland's porous defence will hope for a rare break when misfiring Tottenham visit them on Saturday.
Spurs have been far from shot-shy this term but a dreadful conversion rate leaves them with just 13 goals from 14 Premier League games so far - although four of those have come in their previous two fixtures.
The Londoners may fancy their chances against a Sunderland side who have conceded two goals per league game on average and shipped four in defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday but Gus Poyet's arrival has made the Stadium of Light a tougher place to visit - their midweek loss the first on home soil for the Uruguayan.
The Black Cats were ultimately undone by a virtuoso display from Eden Hazard, the Belgian scoring two and assisting Frank Lampard's early equaliser after Jozy Altidore had given Sunderland a shock lead.
Captain John O'Shea was left to rue his side's inability to handle Chelsea's attack and hopes that Sunderland can learn from their disappointment when they face Spurs.
"You can't score three goals against Chelsea and not come away with something – that's the frustrating part," the Irishman told reporters.
"We always analyse the goals and, individually and collectively, we can always do better. That's what we're going to have to do. If you score three goals you generally think you'll get something from the game, so to not do so was disappointing."
Although Spurs' attack remains a concern, they come into the game with one of the league's strongest away records. Only Arsenal have recorded more points on their travels than Andre Villas-Boas's side, who have racked up 13 of their 24 away from White Hart Lane.
Tottenham's latest triumph on the road came in Wednesday's hard-fought 2-1 win at Fulham. Ashkan Dejagah looked to have given Rene Meulensteen a perfect start as Cotagers boss but an organised Spurs were rewarded by Vlad Chiriches' thunderbolt and Lewis Holtby's late winner.
Carlos Cuellar (hip) will be unavailable for Sunderland, who retain concerns over the fitness of goalkeeper Keiren Westwood and Mobido Diakite.
Spurs could enter the game without a recognised left-back as Danny Rose (ankle) is a doubt and Jan Vertonghen is out with a similar issue. Christian Eriksen will miss the best part of December with an ankle injury of his own and Emmanuel Adebayor is sidelined with a knee complaint.
Stat-packed preview ahead of clash with Spurs.
Tottenham travel to Sunderland for the 50th time since the first meeting between the two sides on the opening day of the 1909-10 season.
George Holley scored twice that day to give Robert Kyle’s side the perfect start to the campaign at Roker Park.
Ninety-one years later, Sunderland recorded their last home win over Spurs, also by a 3-1 scoreline, as Darren Bent’s double was followed up by a sensational strike from Bolo Zenden.
A repeat success for the Black Cats on Saturday evening could see Gus Poyet’s side move within two points of safety.
Poyet’s record as a player against his former club stands him in good stead with the Uruguayan never suffering defeat to Spurs during his time with Chelsea.
He won six and drew one of the seven games he played for the Blues against the North London club and scored on three occasions.
Sunderland defender Wes Brown has won all seven games in which he has been on the home side against Tottenham whilst he has only lost on one occasion to Spurs in the 12 games in which he has featured against them during his career.
Brown’s fellow defender, John O’Shea, scored his first goal for Sunderland against Villas-Boas’ Tottenham in a 2-1 defeat at the Stadium of Light in December 2012. The Republic of Ireland international has also played in goal against Spurs when he replaced the injured Edwin van der Sar for the final few minutes of Manchester United’s 4-0 win at White Hart Lane in February 2007.
Craig Gardner has started the Black Cats’ last two games and he will look to continue his fine goal-scoring run against Spurs which has seen him score three times in ten games against Tottenham during his playing career.
Steven Fletcher has also notched on three occasions in seven games against Spurs during his career in English football whilst midfielder Lee Cattermole has not lost to Tottenham in his last five games against the Lilywhites - meaning he has never lost to the White Hart Lane-based club in a Sunderland shirt.
In four of the last five games on Wearside, this fixture has produced two or more goals on every occasion, though Sunderland boss Poyet will be hopeful that his side can restrict Spurs in the manner in which they stopped Manchester City and Aston Villa.
Danny Rose, who made 29 appearances on loan at Sunderland last season, could miss the return to his former club due to a foot injury whilst Christian Eriksen is also out.
Emmanuel Adebayor could return for the hosts whilst Carlos Cuellar is out for Sunderland.
Saturday’s meeting will be the 111th in total between the two sides with Tottenham edging the head-to-head record with 44 wins compared to Sunderland’s 37 whilst there have been 29 draws.
Last six meetings:
Tottenham 1 - 0 Sunderland – 19/05/2013
Sunderland 1 - 2 Tottenham - 29/12/2012
Sunderland 0 - 0 Tottenham - 07/04/2012
Tottenham 1 - 0 Sunderland - 18/12/2011
Sunderland 1 - 2 Tottenham - 12/02/2011
Tottenham 1 - 1 Sunderland - 09/11/2010
1817: HALF-TIME - Sunderland 1-1 Tottenham
Half-time then at the Stadium of Light. This match has just ignited - we should be set for a decent second half.
1813: GOAL- Sunderland 1-1 Tottenham - Paulinho (43 mins)
That's the perfect response from Tottenham. A deep free-kick is helped back into the box by Nacer Chadli and Paulinho shows a striker's instinct to stab home in the six-yard box. Where were the Sunderland defenders?
1807: GOAL- Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham - Adam Johnson
Another game, another goalkeeping mistake. Sunderland's Adam Johnson is the man to profit this time as Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris palms Ondrej Celustka's simple cross straight into his path at the far post. The ex-Manchester City man makes no mistake as he takes one touch and buries the ball into the back of the net.
1730: Sunderland 0-0 Tottenham
We're under way at the Stadium of Light...
1726: Sunderland v Tottenham (1730 GMT)
The players are heading on to the pitch at the Stadium of Light on a bitterly cold night in the north east. Tottenham's Lewis Holtby is one who I see is wearing gloves. I don't really blame him.
45:00 +2:12 Half time
Half Time
First Half ends, Sunderland 1, Tottenham Hotspur 1. 45:00 +1:37 Attempt missed. Nacer Chadli (Tottenham Hotspur) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Lewis Holtby with a cross following a corner. 45:00 +1:04 Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Wes Brown. 45:00 +1:03 Attempt blocked. Paulinho (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Mousa Dembélé. 45:00 +0:02 Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 45:00 +0:02 Foul by Adam Johnson (Sunderland). 44:43 Attempt saved. Ondrej Celustka (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Jozy Altidore. 42:43 Goal scored
Goal!
Goal! Sunderland 1, Tottenham Hotspur 1. Paulinho (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Nacer Chadli with a headed pass following a set piece situation. 42:15 Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the right wing. 42:15 Foul by Jack Colback (Sunderland). 39:56 Foul by Michael Dawson (Tottenham Hotspur). 39:56 Wes Brown (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 39:33 Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Ondrej Celustka. 38:50 Kyle Naughton (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 38:42 Booking
Booking
Ondrej Celustka (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. 38:29 Foul by Ondrej Celustka (Sunderland). 37:55 Mousa Dembélé (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 37:55 Foul by Jack Colback (Sunderland). 36:43 Goal scored
Goal!
Goal! Sunderland 1, Tottenham Hotspur 0. Adam Johnson (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. 35:50 Attempt blocked. Lewis Holtby (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mousa Dembélé.
34:34 Etienne Capoue (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 34:34 Foul by Jozy Altidore (Sunderland). 33:30 Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Phillip Bardsley. 33:28 Attempt blocked. Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Nacer Chadli. 32:42 Attempt saved. Nacer Chadli (Tottenham Hotspur) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Lewis Holtby with a cross. 32:15 Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Ki Sung-Yueng. 31:08 Nacer Chadli (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 31:08 Foul by Ki Sung-Yueng (Sunderland). 27:47 Attempt blocked. Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Adam Johnson. 26:05 Attempt missed. Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Mousa Dembélé. 22:32 Attempt missed. Lewis Holtby (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Mousa Dembélé. 21:54 Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by John O'Shea. 21:23 Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Wes Brown. 21:22 Attempt blocked. Paulinho (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Aaron Lennon. 18:41 Attempt missed. Jack Colback (Sunderland) left footed shot from the left side of the box is too high. Assisted by Jozy Altidore. 18:09 Mousa Dembélé (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 18:07 Foul by Jozy Altidore (Sunderland). 17:16 Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Vito Mannone. 17:12 Attempt missed. Lewis Holtby (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Jermain Defoe. 16:30 Attempt missed. Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Phillip Bardsley with a through ball. 12:15 Attempt missed. Paulinho (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Kyle Walker. 7:55 Ki Sung-Yueng (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 7:55 Foul by Nacer Chadli (Tottenham Hotspur). 5:42 Jack Colback (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 5:42 Foul by Mousa Dembélé (Tottenham Hotspur). 5:03 Foul by Ondrej Celustka (Sunderland). 5:03 Nacer Chadli (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 4:32 Foul by Jack Colback (Sunderland). 4:32 Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 0:00
First Half begins. 0:00 Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Sunderland remained rooted at the bottom of the Premier League table as Tottenham eased the pressure on manager Andre Villas-Boas with a gutsy win.
A Hugo Lloris error allowed Adam Johnson to confidently score from eight yards to give Sunderland the lead.
Paulinho poked in at the near post to level and Spurs then went ahead thanks to John O'Shea's clumsy own goal.
Jermain Defoe twice struck the woodwork while Sunderland had a worthy penalty appeal turned down in an lively match.
More to follow.
Full Time
Match ends, Sunderland 1, Tottenham Hotspur 2. 90:00 +5:05 Full time
Full Time
Second Half ends, Sunderland 1, Tottenham Hotspur 2. 90:00 +3:54 Gylfi Sigurdsson (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 90:00 +3:54 Foul by Lee Cattermole (Sunderland). 90:00 +3:02 Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Vito Mannone. 90:00 +2:59 Attempt saved. Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Jermain Defoe. 90:00 +1:35 Attempt missed. Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Sebastian Larsson with a cross. 90:00 +0:20 Attempt missed. Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Emanuele Giaccherini with a cross. 89:37 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Michael Dawson. 88:30 Gylfi Sigurdsson (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 88:30 Foul by Ki Sung-Yueng (Sunderland). 86:51 Booking
Booking
Jozy Altidore (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. 86:47 Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 86:47 Foul by Jozy Altidore (Sunderland). 85:57 Attempt blocked. Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Sebastian Larsson. 85:34 Foul by Etienne Capoue (Tottenham Hotspur). 85:34 Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 83:40 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Gylfi Sigurdsson replaces Nacer Chadli. 82:23 Attempt missed. Paulinho (Tottenham Hotspur) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Andros Townsend with a cross. 81:24 Attempt saved. Fabio Borini (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
80:43 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Michael Dawson. 80:04 Foul by Sandro (Tottenham Hotspur). 80:04 Lee Cattermole (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 78:45 Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur) hits the left post with a right footed shot from the centre of the box. Assisted by Andros Townsend with a cross. 78:18 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Andros Townsend replaces Lewis Holtby. 77:19 Offside, Sunderland. Lee Cattermole tries a through ball, but Steven Fletcher is caught offside. 76:44 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Emanuele Giaccherini replaces Ondrej Celustka. 76:08 Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 76:08 Foul by Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland). 74:34 Offside, Sunderland. Ondrej Celustka tries a through ball, but Steven Fletcher is caught offside. 73:30 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Aaron Lennon. 73:17 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Kyle Walker. 73:00 Attempt saved. Lewis Holtby (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Aaron Lennon. 72:33 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Sandro replaces Mousa Dembélé because of an injury. 70:07 Attempt missed. Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Sebastian Larsson with a cross. 66:42 Attempt saved. Jozy Altidore (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ki Sung-Yueng. 66:10 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Lee Cattermole replaces Jack Colback. 66:01 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Fabio Borini replaces Adam Johnson. 65:38 Attempt missed. Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Lewis Holtby with a through ball. 63:56 Foul by Lewis Holtby (Tottenham Hotspur). 63:56 Jack Colback (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 63:05 Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 63:05 Foul by Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland). 59:09 Attempt blocked. Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. 59:06 Attempt blocked. Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Lewis Holtby. 58:11 Attempt saved. Nacer Chadli (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Kyle Naughton. 56:27 Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur) hits the right post with a header from the centre of the box. Assisted by Aaron Lennon with a cross. 55:45 Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Ki Sung-Yueng. 55:43 Attempt blocked. Lewis Holtby (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Aaron Lennon. 55:23 Attempt blocked. Lewis Holtby (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kyle Walker. 52:46 Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Adam Johnson. 51:54 Foul by Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur). 51:54 Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 50:23 Foul by Paulinho (Tottenham Hotspur). 50:23 Ki Sung-Yueng (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 49:01 Goal scored
Goal!
Own Goal by John O'Shea, Sunderland. Sunderland 1, Tottenham Hotspur 2. 47:18 Offside, Tottenham Hotspur. Paulinho tries a through ball, but Aaron Lennon is caught offside. 45:44 Foul by Michael Dawson (Tottenham Hotspur). 45:44 Jack Colback (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the right wing. 45:00
Second Half begins Sunderland 1, Tottenham Hotspur 1.
Sunderland 1-2 Tottenham: John O'Shea own goal seals gritty Spurs win
Andre Villas-Boas's side came from behind to claim all three points at the Stadium of Light
Tottenham Hotspur came from behind for the second time in four days to record an impressive win against Sunderland.
Adam Johnson put the hosts ahead following an error from Hugo Lloris, but a John O-Shea own goal and Paulinho's strike further eased the pressure on Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas.
Both sides created openings in a lively start to the match. Steven Fletcher drilled an effort wide after a fine ball from Phil Bardsley, before Vito Mannone was forced into a flying save to deny Lewis Holtby.
Jack Colback and Jermain Defoe also chanced their arm before the Black Cats got their noses in front. Johnson benefited from a poor Lloris punch, controlling and slamming an emphatic finish into the roof of the net.
Villas-Boas's men would go into half-time on level terms, however. Just before the interval, Nacer Chadli's nod-down was met by Paulinho, whose improvised finish snuck between Mannone's legs and into the net.
Mannone was forced to pluck the ball from his net once more minutes after the interval. Mousa Dembele's hit the leg of O'Shea and ballooned over the line at the near post.
Defoe came close to extending the lead, twice hitting the woodwork, while Paulinho sent a header just wide.
But Spurs held on for a result that will no doubt please their Portuguese boss.
Sunderland will play Carlisle United at the Stadium of Light in the third round of the FA Cup with Budweiser.
The Cumbrians, who are currently 18th in League One, secured their place in the third-round draw with a 3-2 home success over Brentford.
United - managed by former Sunderland midfielder Graham Kavanagh, also beat non-league side Boreham Wood in the first round.
Third-round ties will be played over the weekend of 4/5 January 2014 and ticketing info will be confirmed in due course.
Name:
Anonymous2013-12-08 11:39
Sunderland v Carlisle United: Games Played
20 Oct 1970 Carlisle United v Sunderland D 0-0 League Division Two
16 Jan 1971 Sunderland v Carlisle United W 2-0 League Division Two
01 Sep 1971 Sunderland v Carlisle United L 0-3 League Division Two
25 Apr 1972 Carlisle United v Sunderland W 1-2 League Division Two
11 Nov 1972 Carlisle United v Sunderland L 4-3 League Division Two
27 Mar 1973 Sunderland v Carlisle United W 2-1 League Division Two
05 Jan 1974 Carlisle United v Sunderland D 0-0 FA Cup
09 Jan 1974 Sunderland v Carlisle United L 0-1 FA Cup
12 Apr 1974 Sunderland v Carlisle United W 2-1 League Division Two
16 Apr 1974 Carlisle United v Sunderland L 1-0 League Division Two
23 Sep 1975 Sunderland v Carlisle United W 3-2 League Division Two
24 Feb 1976 Carlisle United v Sunderland D 2-2 League Division Two
19 Oct 1985 Carlisle United v Sunderland W 1-2 League Division Two
08 Feb 1986 Sunderland v Carlisle United D 2-2 League Division Two
08 Jan 1994 Sunderland v Carlisle United D 1-1 FA Cup
18 Jan 1994 Carlisle United v Sunderland W 0-1 FA Cup
07 Jan 1995 Sunderland v Carlisle United D 1-1 FA Cup
17 Jan 1995 Carlisle United v Sunderland W 1-3 FA Cup
Time For Change As Six Club Sack Their Managers Within Five Days. But Why?
Gary Neville summed it up perfectly.
"It's like changing your girlfriend at school. It's positive for about 6 months then you think oh s**t, I've got to change again". That's coming from a man who knows all about sticking with your manager and reaping the benefits.
Here's some staggering statistics:
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- Only two clubs out of NINETY-TWO have stayed faithful to their managers for over 5 years.
- With just two and a half year under his belt as boss, Sam Allardyce is currently the third longest serving manager in the Premier League.
- Forty-one clubs have had their manager in charge for less than ONE year while SEVEN clubs currently have no manager.
In the Football League we are 17 games into the campaign while in the top flight we are now 13 games in. An unlucky number as far as Martin Jol was concerned.
The leagues have now gone through one third of their respective seasons. A time when each division starts to open out, starts to show the weaknesses in each team as Premier League chairman ready their cash and Football League chairman stick with what they have following the end of the loan and free transfer window that lasts from September until the final Thursday of November.
Chairman begin to panic. Do they trust the men in the managerial hotseat to spend the club's well-earned cash? Do they believe that the current squad is good enough? Has the list of players given into the hands of themselves and Directors of Football not look strong enough to either win promotion or move away from the relegation pits of doom?
Hands hover above the phone. Every defeat becomes unbearable. Every win gives the manager another week in his job. Positions in the table are taken into more consideration than the current state of affairs on the field including injuries, suspensions and other sides around them performing admirably in similar adversity.
Take Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United. Fans all of a sudden are calling for their bosses to be given the chop. Villas-Boas knows everything there is to know about football tactically and technically but fans don't believe he is giving his team enough freedom to express themselves. David Moyes has a fantastic reputation in England and was given the job on the word of the great Sir Alex Ferguson yet poor results to top sides have held his team back.
You take into consideration recent performances. The two clubs played out a fascinating draw on Sunday afternoon that while not giving either club a massive boost, certainly brought fans back onside as respective performances from certain individuals saw fit to show the managers do know what they're doing.
Moyes is on a seven game unbeaten run and remain one of just two teams to have defeated league leader's Arsenal this season. Bear in mind injury concerns with Michael Carrick and Robin Van Persie arguably the two standout players of last season alongside Rafael Da Silva, Danny Welbeck, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Darren Fletcher and you realise that they are just two points off third place with a side that hasn't remained the same for two weeks running.
Time For Change As Six Club Sack Their Managers Within Five Days. But Why? Part II
For Spurs, they remain just three points behind third place. He has spent big on genuine quality this summer. Some are still taking time to get used to the top flight. They had conceded just two goals in their first 7 games and just 5 goals until matchday 11. Add to that the annoyance of playing Thursday and Sunday and travelling to Norway, the Balkans and Russia during their Europa League campaign, there are a few excuses to be made in his case. To bring in 7 players in a changeover can take time and Spurs can afford to allow that time knowing they'll be better for it in the future. It's hardly a financial concern with a billionaire as part of the club's hierarchy.
Unfortunately, others can't rely on such financial benefactors.
Take Fulham for example. Martin Jol was superb when in charge of Tottenham Hotspur a few years back before being sacked rather harshly having brought the club from mid-table to just one game away from the Champions League until Lasagne-gate struck. He has been a relative success everywhere he has been but Fulham hasn't worked for him.
He immediately riled previous stars such as Bobby Zamora, Danny Murphy and Dickson Etuhu with his philosophies while breaking up one of the strongest Premier League defences was never going to be a wise idea.
His footballing ideology is typically Dutch. Try and control possession as much as you can and make the opposition pay when you do have the ball. He made the unwise choice to bring in players who don't work hard for the cause though.
I'm not entirely sure how things work in Holland or anywhere else abroad for that matter but in England, supporters respond well to hard workers and players willing to put their knackers on the line in order win a football match. Are you telling me Dimitar Berbatov, Adel Taarabt or Darren Bent would do such a thing?
In terms of individuals, they have talent that can leave their mark on any football stadium in world football. Darren Bent is one of the few 15 goal a season strikers born and bred in England when given a run of games but needs to players to create for him. He doesn't work for his goals, he just finishes off other people's work.
Dimitar Berbatov has unreal quality. His first touch is as delicate as a sunflower but you'll find turtles closing down a football quicker than he will. Adel Taarabt is another who can produce sensational moments of quality and somebody Jol has rated highly since the boy was still at school. Check out his goals vs Fulham and Cardiff City in recent years to prove that. Yet his idea of football is everybody else works and I'll score. Bryan Ruiz is extremely laid back while Kasami is rarely a pivotal figure in many games unless he manages to produce the spectacular.
It's a mockery of what Roy Hodgson built at the club.
They've won three games this season. In two of them they won 1-0 and were made to defend for their lives until scoring late winners. The other was a 4-1 victory against bottom of the table in which two moments of class ended up stealing victory. The five previously mentioned have managed six goals from 13 games. They've conceded a huge 24 goals. His sacking was the right decision.
It was a similar fate with Dave Jones who was sacked following a third successive defeat that left them 23rd in the table. He has made a habit of bringing in the players who many will call "has-beens". Stephen McPhail, Roger Johnson, Seyi Olofinjana and Kamil Zayette haven't performed to a high level in England for a long time.
He trusted in them and now has the sack. While funds are tight at Sheffield Wednesday in terms of wage and transfer budgets, there are simply stronger minded footballers with the temperament and will to get out of a relegation fight than the players signed this summer. Connor Wickham on loan was a brilliant piece of business.
Looking at Birmingham City's transfer this summer with the younger, hungrier footballers wanting to succeed in football and taking a wage cut to prove they can do so has once again seen them in a better position than Jones.
Once again, it was another correct decision.
Amazingly, it hasn't just been those two bosses sacked. The panic button was pushed as Sean O'Driscoll at Bristol City, Richie Barker of Crawley Town, Owen Coyle of Wigan Athletic and David Flitcroft at Barnsley were all shown the door. Correct decisions?
O'Driscoll was given the job of re-building Bristol City after disastrous form the season before but having made 12 signings and overseeing 13 departures, their fortunes haven't changed and they lie 23rd. The players have commented by saying they only have good things to say about their old boss, but the button was pushed early on his reign.
Barker's departure struck me as a strange one. Promotion must surely have been the key at Crawley Town if they were to let the former Bury manager leave the club. He has left younger squad at Broadfield these days yet a run of 8 games without victory has left a vacant managerial position at the club.
Coyle was only appointed in the summer with the ambition of promotion expected on the cards. An extremely enthusiastic man and loved by most people in and around football but this was just another setback in his career as another "bigger" club saw him unable to push them to the next level.
At Barnsley, the revival last season under Flitcroft was nothing short of incredible as the division's basement club were rejected twice by other managers before Flitcroft oversaw the third best run in the Championship after New Year's Day with just 4 defeats and ultimately, survival on the final day. This season they are bottom of the Championship once again and in need of another revival. Flitcroft has now paid the price for their poor defence.
These six dismissals make it a whopping 17 bosses already losing their jobs this season. We're only 4 months in.
Any beneficiaries? Carlisle have jumped off the bottom of League One under Graham Kavanagh, Sunderland have managed two victories since the sacking of Di Canio while Derby are now 5th in the Championship having surprisingly sacked Nigel Clough who has since took Sheffield United off the bottom of the Championship and out of the relegation zone. Just about.
Gillingham's fortunes have hardly changed since the uncouth decision to let go of promotion winning boss Martin Allen with the club seemingly in little relegation trouble just at that moment in time. Bury have hardly seen success while Notts County continue to be rooted to the bottom of the third tier since sacking Chris Kiwomya. There hasn't been too much time to contest decisions made by Scunthorpe United, Portsmouth, Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough though the former and the latter are winning games again.
The number is extremely unlikely to stop at 17 either.
At this moment in time, I'd estimate that 10 managers remain under pressure though things will undoubtedly change.
Fan pressure could see the end of Chris Hughton as Norwich "Mr.Nice Guy" as I saw one fan comment due to his less than expansive style of football. On the opposite spectrum, Gianfranco Zola's inclination to engineer a team in his own image has not only left the back door open but also seen a lack of goals and a midfield nowhere near as dominant as last season. Defeat Tuesday against Burnley may see his reign ended with 7 winless results.
Steve Lomas will always be at gunpoint with Millwall supporters who refuse to support him because of his West Ham United legacy. Chris Powell meanwhile maybe a Charlton Athletic legend but with the threat of demotion looming large, Richard Murray may get restless.
Karl Robinson has failed to impress at MK Dons in the last 18 months as promotion looks less and less likely. Ronnie Moore is a Tranmere Rovers legend but like Tony Mowbray at Middlesbrough, he has endured a troublesome year in 2013. In League Two, Mansfield's double figured winless run won't help Paul Cox's situation despite promotion last season while Alan Knill, Aidy Boothroyd and John Ward need to act fast in order to pull their respective club's away from trouble.
The pressure cooker is on near full heat now. In the space of a month between the middle of December and January there was 10 managerial changes.
While I find it hard to believe Gary Neville was pulling females while at school every six months. Football chairman certainly have the money and power to chop and change the guy in charge as they wish.
Who's next?
Sunderland manager Gus Poyet says team 'not good enough'
Manager Gus Poyet says his Sunderland side are currently "not good enough" and "too easy" to play against.
The Black Cats won three of Poyet's first five games but are bottom of the table, without a victory in four matches and five points from safety.
Reflecting on Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Tottenham at the Stadium of Light, the 46-year-old Uruguayan said: "You can't perform every now and then.
"With all respect, we don't get paid to do our job today but not tomorrow."
The club's sixth manager in five years, the former Chelsea midfielder succeeded Paolo Di Canio in October.
He secured early wins over Newcastle, Manchester City and Southampton, but the improvement in form did not last - and Sunderland have contributed to their own downfall with five own goals in Poyet's nine matches in charge.
Defenders Phil Bardsley and John O'Shea were the latest to score past their own goalkeeper, in defeats by Chelsea and Tottenham respectively.
"Luck is once or twice, but five own goals in nine games? No, I'm not taking that, I'm sorry," added Poyet, who played 26 times for Uruguay.
"At the moment, I see too many players of the opposition playing against us probably their best games of the season.
"Do you think that's a coincidence as well? You have to be very naive to think that."
Failure to take anything from Spurs' visit to the North East was compounded by Crystal Palace's victory over Cardiff, leaving Sunderland five points adrift of the Eagles, who are 19th.
Sunderland face 17th-placed West Ham at Upton Park in their next game.
"My job - I'm a head coach, I coach, I convince players what is the best way to play football," said Poyet.
"It's going to be like a hammer in your head constantly. Now if we can get it before Saturday, we have a chance. If we don't, it's going to be worse and worse, it's as simple as that."
Sunderland's five own goals in nine games:
John O'Shea v Tottenham (1-2)
Phil Bardsley v Chelsea (3-4)
Carlos Cuellar v Hull (0-1)
Bardsley and Steven Fletcher v Swansea (0-4)
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FA Cup: Arsenal draw Tottenham for third-round north London derby
Arsenal will play Tottenham at Emirates Stadium in the third round of the FA Cup in the first weekend of January.
Manchester United will play Swansea City at Old Trafford and Norwich entertain Fulham.
Chelsea travel to Championship form side Derby County, while Manchester City visit Blackburn Rovers.
Holders Wigan host Milton Keynes Dons while non-league sides Kidderminster and Macclesfield entertain Peterborough and Sheffield Wednesday respectively.
West Brom will play Crystal Palace at home and Cardiff travel to Scumcastle in the other all-Premier League ties of the round, while Liverpool have been given a tie at home to either League One Oldham or League Two Mansfield.
The Latics knocked Brendan Rodgers's men out of the fourth round of last season's competition at Boundary Park, while a Luis Suarez handball ensured Liverpool avoided an FA Cup third-round shock at Mansfield Town at this stage last season.
The last time north London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal met in the FA Cup was the 2001 semi-final, when Robert Pires gave the Gunners a 2-1 win at Old Trafford.
The draw was conducted by former England striker Teddy Sheringham and his son and AFC Wimbledon forward Charlie.
Other ties include Championship leaders Burnley travelling to Southampton, a north west derby between Bolton and Blackpool, and Harry Redknapp's QPR facing Everton at Goodison Park.
FA Cup third-round draw
Barnsley v Hartlepool or Coventry
Yeovil v Leyton Orient
Liverpool v Oldham or Mansfield
Nottingham Forest v West Ham
Bristol City v Watford
Southend v Millwall
Downbrough v Hull
West Brom v Crystal Palace
Kidderminster v Peterborough
Doncaster v Stevenage
Stoke v Leicester
Southampton v Burnley
Scumcastle v Cardiff
Rochdale v Leeds
Wigan v MK Dons
Charlton v Wrexham or Oxford United
Manchester United v Swansea
Port Vale v Plymouth
Norwich City v Fulham
Aston Villa v Sheffield United
Macclesfield v Sheffield Wednesday Sunderland v Carlisle
Bolton v Blackpool
Blackburn v Manchester City
Everton v QPR
Brighton v Reading Arsenal v Tottenham
Birmingham v Bristol Rovers or Crawley
Grimsby v Huddersfield
Ipswich v Preston
Derby v Chelsea
Bournemouth v Fleetwood or Burton
Ties to be played over the weekend of 4-5 January
On this day in 1952 over 34,000 watched a 5-3 win over Dundee in Roker Park's 1st floodlit game. The ground was the home of SAFC for 99 years, before the club moved to the Stadium of Light in 1997. The record attendance at Roker was in March 1933 when an FA Cup sixth round clash with Derby County attracted 75,118.