Sunderland’s under-18 side progressed to the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup with a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Ipswich Town at Portman Road.
Tom Robson was the penalty hero as the young Black Cats secured a 4-2 shoot-out win after the 120 minutes prior was locked at 1-1.
The Tractor Boys held a first-half lead after Jack Willbye had crashed home a curling effort from 35 yards before Lynden Gooch levelled with a fine individual effort in the second half.
Sunderland made two changes to the side that dispatched Bolton Wanderers 7-0 at the Academy of Light in their last outing with Maksymilian Stryjek and Ryan Ellison replacing Peter Burke and Michael Ledger.
The hosts went close to opening the scoring inside the first two minutes as Sunderland started nervously and Byron Lawrence crashed a shot against the crossbar.
The young Black Cats settled into the game after the first ten minutes had passed and captain Martin Smith forced a save from Michael Crowe in the Ipswich goal with a shot from the edge of the area.
Gooch then tested Crowe with an effort of his own on the half-hour before the Tractor Boys went ahead six minutes before the break.
Willbye scored a goal he will remember forever as he sent a looping shot beyond Stryjek and into the Polish stopper’s top left hand corner from 35 yards.
Stryjek made a good save from Lawrence on the stroke of half time as the hosts sensed an opportunity to double their advantage after the initial blow.
George Clarke had a golden opportunity to all-but secure the tie for Ipswich after just five second half minutes but he failed to make contact with Lawrence’s well-weighted cross when well placed inside the area.
And Gooch made the Tractor Boys’ striker regret his miss just moments later as the American striker went on a fine solo run before driving low into Crowe’s bottom left-hand corner.
Clarke curled wide as he looked to make amends for his earlier miss before Stryjek produced his best save of the night to get a faint touch on the ball as Edward Bishop looked to pull the trigger inside the six-yard box.
Cemal Ramadan smashed over from the edge of the area after being on the pitch for only three minutes for the hosts before Nelson’s effort was tipped over by Crowe at the other end.
Rees Greenwood had a great chance to win it for the young Black Cats four minutes from time as the Winlaton-born winger weaved into the area and shot well only to be thwarted by a brave block from Ipswich defender George Fowler.
Extra-time passed with little chances at either end as both sides suffered the effects from the extra 30 minutes, though Stryjek had to be sharp to deny Ramadan when the Ipswich substitute fired across goal.
Neither side gained the advantage after 120 minutes had been played and thus the tie was decided on spot-kicks.
Ramadan and Smith scored each side’s first penalty before Stryjek saved from Lawrence low to his right.
Ethan Robson gave Sunderland the advantage before Kyle Hammond kept the Tractor Boys in the tie with a well-taken kick.
Greenwood maintained the young Black Cats’ lead when he sent a powerful penalty beyond Crowe, and Stryjek was on hand to deny Ipswich skipper Joe Robinson and give Tom Robson the chance to win it for the visitors.
The former Darlington youngster stepped up to coolly convert the final kick and send the jubilant youngsters back to Wearside with their name in the hat for the fourth round draw.
Sunderland: Stryjek, Ellison (Lowrie, 67), T Robson, E Robson, Colquhoun, Beadling, Greenwood, Smith, Nelson, Gooch, McEvoy (Blinco, 78).
Premier League: West Ham v Sunderland match preview
Sam Allardyce has billed West Ham’s next fixture as "critical" as bottom side Sunderland travel to Upton Park, with the Hammers hovering only one place above the relegation zone in 17th. West Ham are in desperate need of a win after suffering back to back defeats away at Liverpool and Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
Allardyce has said that he believes he has the full backing of the board despite only managing three wins in the Premier League so far this season.
For Sunderland manager, Gus Poyet, the honeymoon period is over and he will be hoping to get back to winning ways after losing to Spurs at home last weekend. The Black Cats have only picked up two points on their travels this season and the Uruguayan manager will surely be eager to seal Sunderland’s first away victory this season at Upton Park.
West Ham will have to do without their captain, Kevin Nolan, after he received a three match ban for his sending off against Liverpool, however, Ravel Morrison makes a timely return from suspension and will be available for selection. Sunderland will be hoping Carlos Cuellar (hip) is available for the trip to London, but goalkeeper Keiren Westwood (shoulder) remains doubtful.
KICK-OFF: Saturday, 3pm
PAST THREE MEETINGS
Sunderland 3 (Larsson, Johnson, McClean) West Ham 0, Premier League, Jan 2013
West Ham 1(Nolan) Sunderland 1(Fletcher), Premier League, September, 2012
West Ham 0 Sunderland 3 (Zenden, Sessegnon, Riveros), Premier League, May 2011
STATS…
West Ham
Total goals scored: 13
Total conceded: 17
Top Scorer: Ravel Morrison on 3 league goals
Sunderland
12 goals
30 goals conceded (worst defence in the Premier League)
Top Scorer: Bardsley, Giaccherini, Fletcher, Gardner on 2 goals each.
West Ham United 0 Sunderland 0: Match report, stats.
Sunderland failed to ease their relegation worries as they ground out a goalless draw against West Ham at Upton Park.
The Black Cats started the the afternoon five points adrift at the bottom and, with relegation rivals Crystal Palace and Fulham both losing, had the chance to slash that gap and also move to within two points of the fourth-bottom Hammers.
Sunderland had the better of the game, with Phil Bardsley hitting the crossbar in the first half while West Ham's Finnish goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen was forced into a string of saves.
But Gus Poyet's side could not find the net, which means they have edged only a point closer to Palace and Fulham and they remain five points from safety.
Sunderland created their first chance inside five minutes, hitting the Hammers quickly on the break with Ki Sung-Yueng firing in a low shot which Jaaskelainen held at the foot of his right-hand post.
But West Ham responded immediately, with Modibo Maiga only just off target with two chances in as many minutes.
And at the other end, Jozy Altidore had a terrific opportunity in the sixth minute when Emanuele Giaccherini's throughball put him in the clear behind the defence but his low shot was fingertipped behind by Jaaskelainen.
West Ham's Guy Demel had the ball in the net midway through the half, but referee Andre Marriner had spotted the defender's push on Lee Cattermole in the build-up and chalked off the effort.
Altidore charged down a free-kick just inside the Sunderland half in the 29 minute, sparking howls of outrage from the home fans who – rightly – insisted he was not 10 yards from the ball. Sunderland immediately charged forward through Fabio Borini and had his shot not been saved, the Hammers would have had every right to protest.
Sunderland had a penalty appeal turned down when Altidore was bundled over by ex-Black Cat George McCartney, but in truth it would have been soft had it been given.
Bardsley crashed a shot against the bar with Jaaskelainen beaten 10 minutes before the break.
The Wearsiders looked more comfortable as the half wore on, building pressure by forcing a series of corners.
And in injury-time, Cattermole brought a good diving save out of the keeper as Sunderland finished the half strongly.
The second half was a breathless affair with both sides attacking quickly on the break, but clear-cut chances were few and far between.
Altidore saw a shot deflect wide off Demel's arm and, while Sunderland appealed in vain for a penalty, there was little the defender could have done to get out of the way.
Ravel Morrison brought a save out of Vito Mannone with a shot from distance ten minutes into the second period, while Mo Diame blasted the ball into the sidenetting a few minutes later.
Jaaskelainen came to West Ham's rescue 12 minutes from time when he pushed clear a powerful effort from Ki, after the South Korean had twisted and turned and found space for a shot inside the box.
And in injury-time a mis-hit cross from McCartney was dropping into the net until Mannone moved smartly to palm it over the bar.
WEST HAM: Jaaskelainen, Demel (O'Brien 58), Collins, Tomkins, McCartney, J Cole (C Cole 76), Morrison, Noble, Diame, Jarvis (Collison 56), Maiga. Subs not used: Adrian, Rat, Taylor, Diarra
Gus Poyet insists his Sunderland side will be strong against Chelsea in cup clash.
Sunderland boss Gus Poyet wants his team to learn how to win - starting tonight against Chelsea in the League Cup
Gus Poyet will send his strongest possible Sunderland side into League Cup battle at the Stadium of Light tonight after admitting: “We need to learn to win”.
Even with a pivotal Premier League encounter against Norwich City on the horizon, the Black Cats boss will resist the temptation to make a raft of changes for the last eight tie against a vulnerable Chelsea – sticking with the team that he believes is much more competitive than it was when he took over.
Jack Colback misses the match with a virus and Carlos Cuellar remains ruled out through injury, but otherwise Poyet has a full squad to utilise – and he doesn’t intend to weaken it for no reason. Instead he wil ask his players for their honest take on whether they can manage three games in a week and amend the team accordingly.
His logic is simple, with Poyet figuring that his team need to build confidence and learn how to win more games before he can play fast and loose with a game that he is desperate to win.
“It’s a competition. You can’t go in to a season thinking I don’t care about this one. It’s about playing and about becoming winners. A winner is somebody who wins most of the time. That’s what we have to try to be,” he said.
“Let’s hope we can beat Chelsea and we will be very, very confident for Norwich. We have been creating chances. On the day we have just lacked a few qualities.
Poyet simply does not think that Sunderland can afford to allow such a good opportunity to build momentum pass.
Progressing into the last four would be a real shot in the arm for Sunderland after a year that has been mostly miserable for seasoned Black Cats’ watchers.
“Everybody talks about confidence. That is such an important word in football,” he said. “There is no better game to improve your confidence. If we can beat Chelsea and reach the semi-finals then the confidence should be high.”
Explaining what he meant by learning to win, he suggested that Sunderland have forgotten how to make things turn in their favour.
He said: “I try to concentrate on everything we do. We have to make sure we do what we do in every game. I think we get very close most of the time. I think that as soon as we start winning then it should be the opposite way around.
“That a deflected shot will go in, that the own goal will not go in, that the decision of the referee will be for us.
“Suddenly when you are winning games you all become winners. That’s why it is so important in the next game. It is an opportunity to start winning games. You have to take that opportunity.”
Meanwhile, Poyet evaded questions about the vacancy at Tottenham that has emerged after Andre Villas-Boas’ dismissal.
The Black Cats chief was linked to the vacancy in a Sunday newspaper last week and was a popular player at White Hart Lane before moving into management. But he is a long shot for the job and says his concentration is focused solely on matters at the Stadium of Light. He said: “It’s flattering but I just came here and I am concentrating on here. My aim here is to help the whole club. I have heard the news but nothing else.”
Villas-Boas was the second Premier League manager to lose his job in three days and was swiftly followed by another of Poyet’s managerial colleagues Gianfranco Zola, who resigned from Watford on Monday afternoon. Reacting to the news from White Hart Lane, Poyet admitted his disappointment.
Capital One Cup: Sunderland v Chelsea match preview
Chelsea travel to struggling Sunderland on Tuesday night, as the home side look to end their five game winless run and put themselves into the draw for the next round.
Gus Poyet knows that a win would give his team a much needed confidence boost ahead of a busy Christmas period but the Chelsea legend knows he will have a tough job on his hands to try stop the in-form Eden Hazard, who tore Sunderland apart when the two teams met in the League earlier this month.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is without the suspended Branislav Ivanovic for the game and looks set to rotate the squad with a tough Christmas run-in coming up. The Blues will be hoping they can capitalise on Sunderland’s terrible form and heap more misery on the home side.
KICK-OFF: Tuesday, 7.45pm
PAST THREE MEETING:
Sunderland 3 (Altidore, O’Shea, Bardsley) Chelsea 4 (Lampard, Hazard 2, Bardsley OG), Premier League, December 2013
Chelsea 2 (Kilgallon OG, Ivanovic) Sunderland 1 (Azpilicueta OG), Premier League , April 2013
Sunderland 1 (Johnson) Chelsea 3 (Torres 2, Mata), Premier League, December 2012
STATS:
Sunderland have failed to beat Chelsea in their last six attempts in all competitions.
Chelsea are yet to concede a goal in the competition.
This will be first time the two clubs have met in the League Cup since 1985.
Sunderland have fired in fewer shots on target than any other team in the top flight this season (37).
ODDS:
Sunderland to win: 5.8
Chelsea to win: 1.53
Draw: 3.8
CLASSIC MATCH:
On November 14 2010, league leaders Chelsea welcomed Sunderland to Stamford Bridge in a game they were expected to win comfortably. The away side however shocked the leaders and goals from Nedum Onuoha, Asamoah Gyan and Danny Welbeck helped Sunderland on their way to a comfortable 3-0 victory.
TV: Live on Sky Sports 1 at 7.45pm, highlights on BBC1 at 11.05pm.
Half Time
First Half ends, Sunderland 0, Chelsea 0. 43:34 Attempt missed. Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. 39:29 Attempt missed. Andre Schürrle (Chelsea) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by David Luiz with a headed pass. 35:22 Attempt missed. Willian (Chelsea) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Frank Lampard. 34:25 Ondrej Celustka (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 34:25 Foul by Kevin De Bruyne (Chelsea). 31:18 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by César Azpilicueta. 30:37 Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 30:37 Foul by César Azpilicueta (Chelsea). 29:26 Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 29:26 Foul by Kevin De Bruyne (Chelsea). 27:34 Booking
Booking
Andrea Dossena (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. 27:27 Foul by Andrea Dossena (Sunderland). 27:27 Willian (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the right wing. 26:21 Offside, Sunderland. Emanuele Giaccherini tries a through ball, but Andrea Dossena is caught offside. 24:37 Booking
Booking
David Luiz (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. 24:35 Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 24:35 Foul by David Luiz (Chelsea). 20:13 Offside, Chelsea. Samuel Eto'o tries a through ball, but Frank Lampard is caught offside. 20:12 Attempt blocked. Samuel Eto'o (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Willian. 19:10 Attempt blocked. Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Sebastian Larsson with a cross. 18:30 Adam Johnson (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the right wing. 18:30 Foul by David Luiz (Chelsea). 17:56 Attempt missed. David Luiz (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Frank Lampard. 11:50 Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 11:50 Foul by Kevin De Bruyne (Chelsea). 11:09 Attempt missed. Frank Lampard (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Ashley Cole. 7:38 Attempt blocked. Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. 6:45 Attempt missed. Andre Schürrle (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick. 6:02 Andre Schürrle (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 6:02 Foul by Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland). 5:38 Attempt saved. Willian (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne. 3:24 Attempt saved. Andre Schürrle (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Willian. 2:51 Foul by David Luiz (Chelsea). 2:51 Jozy Altidore (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 0:00
First Half begins. 0:00 Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
120:00 +2:07
Second Half Extra Time ends, Sunderland 2, Chelsea 1. 120:00 +1:07 Willian (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 120:00 +1:07 Foul by Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland). 120:00 +0:19 Foul by Willian (Chelsea). 120:00 +0:19 Ki Sung-Yueng (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 119:47 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Phillip Bardsley replaces Emanuele Giaccherini. 118:52 Booking
Booking
Ki Sung-Yueng (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration. 117:55 Goal scored
Goal!
Goal! Sunderland 2, Chelsea 1. Ki Sung-Yueng (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Fabio Borini. 113:48 Attempt missed. Ondrej Celustka (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Sebastian Larsson with a cross following a corner. 113:09 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Mark Schwarzer. 113:03 Attempt saved. Ki Sung-Yueng (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Sebastian Larsson with a cross. 111:30 Attempt missed. Demba Ba (Chelsea) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Willian with a cross. 110:51 Attempt blocked. Jozy Altidore (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ki Sung-Yueng. 110:50 Attempt missed. Ki Sung-Yueng (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left following a set piece situation. 109:37 Booking
Booking
Michael Essien (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. 109:30 Foul by Michael Essien (Chelsea). 109:30 Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the left wing. 108:46 Attempt missed. Kevin De Bruyne (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Demba Ba. 106:58 Ashley Cole (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing. 106:58 Foul by Fabio Borini (Sunderland).
106:18 Kevin De Bruyne (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 106:18 Foul by Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland). 105:26 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Ashley Cole. 105:00
Second Half Extra Time begins Sunderland 1, Chelsea 1. 106:00
First Half Extra Time ends, Sunderland 1, Chelsea 1. 105:32 Offside, Chelsea. Gary Cahill tries a through ball, but Demba Ba is caught offside. 98:38 Attempt missed. Fabio Borini (Sunderland) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box misses to the right. Assisted by Andrea Dossena with a cross. 96:47 Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Wes Brown. 96:32 John Obi Mikel (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the right wing. 96:32 Foul by Jozy Altidore (Sunderland). 96:13 Attempt blocked. Demba Ba (Chelsea) right footed shot from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne with a cross. 93:17 Attempt saved. David Luiz (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Frank Lampard with a cross. 92:52 Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Wes Brown. 91:16 Attempt missed. Kevin De Bruyne (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Ashley Cole. 90:00
First Half Extra Time begins Sunderland 1, Chelsea 1. 90:00 +5:00 Full time
Full Time
Second Half ends, Sunderland 1, Chelsea 1. 90:00 +0:45 Demba Ba (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing. 90:00 +0:45 Foul by John O'Shea (Sunderland). 90:00 +0:23 Attempt blocked. Fabio Borini (Sunderland) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Emanuele Giaccherini with a through ball. 87:53 Goal scored
Goal!
Goal! Sunderland 1, Chelsea 1. Fabio Borini (Sunderland) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right to the bottom right corner. 87:52 Attempt saved. Jozy Altidore (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Emanuele Giaccherini with a through ball. 84:04 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Willian. 82:56 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Eden Hazard replaces Andre Schürrle. 81:47 Attempt blocked. Willian (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ashley Cole. 80:29 Attempt missed. Demba Ba (Chelsea) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by David Luiz following a set piece situation. 80:13 Ashley Cole (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing. 80:13 Foul by Fabio Borini (Sunderland). 77:43 Attempt saved. Andre Schürrle (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Willian. 77:03 Attempt missed. Ki Sung-Yueng (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. 76:30 Attempt missed. Andre Schürrle (Chelsea) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Willian. 75:55 Foul by Demba Ba (Chelsea). 75:55 Andrea Dossena (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 74:58 Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Wes Brown. 73:55 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Fabio Borini replaces Adam Johnson. 73:30 Offside, Chelsea. Willian tries a through ball, but Frank Lampard is caught offside. 73:15 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Demba Ba replaces Samuel Eto'o. 72:29 Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Wes Brown. 70:49 Foul by John Obi Mikel (Chelsea). 70:49 Lee Cattermole (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 69:38 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Michael Essien replaces César Azpilicueta. 68:10 Attempt saved. Lee Cattermole (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Sebastian Larsson. 68:06 Attempt blocked. Jozy Altidore (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Sebastian Larsson. 66:25 Attempt blocked. Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Lee Cattermole. 65:40 Foul by Willian (Chelsea). 65:40 Lee Cattermole (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 65:03 Delay over. They are ready to continue. 63:18 Delay in match César Azpilicueta (Chelsea) because of an injury. 62:40 Attempt missed. Adam Johnson (Sunderland) left footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Emanuele Giaccherini. 62:36 Attempt blocked. Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. 62:14 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Ki Sung-Yueng replaces Craig Gardner. 59:04 Offside, Sunderland. Ondrej Celustka tries a through ball, but Jozy Altidore is caught offside. 58:12 Attempt missed. Frank Lampard (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Samuel Eto'o. 56:53 Attempt missed. Frank Lampard (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Samuel Eto'o. 55:39 Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Vito Mannone. 55:35 Attempt saved. Kevin De Bruyne (Chelsea) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. 51:49 Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by John O'Shea. 51:47 Attempt blocked. Samuel Eto'o (Chelsea) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by John Obi Mikel. 51:07 Attempt missed. Samuel Eto'o (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. 47:38 Foul by Ashley Cole (Chelsea). 47:38 Adam Johnson (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the right wing. 45:35 Goal scored
Goal!
Own Goal by Lee Cattermole, Sunderland. Sunderland 0, Chelsea 1. 45:00
Second Half begins Sunderland 0, Chelsea 0. 45:00 +1:02 Half time
6.47pm Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's coverage of the Capital One Cup clash between Sunderland and Chelsea.
6.53pmLess than two weeks ago, these two teams took part in a seven-goal thriller at the Stadium of Light, with Chelsea edging out their hosts. Will we be fortunate enough to witness another entertaining encounter this evening?
6.55pmThe team news is in from the Stadium of Light. As expected, Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has made plenty of changes ahead of their Premier League fixture with Arsenal next Monday.
6.57pmSUNDERLAND XI: Mannone; Celustka, Dossena, O'Shea, Brown; Cattermole, Larsson, Gardner, Johnson, Giaccherini; Altidore.
6.59pmCHELSEA XI: Schwarzer; Azpilicueta, Cahill, David Luiz, Cole; Mikel, Lampard, De Bruyne, Willian, Schurrle; Eto’o
7.00pmSUNDERLAND SUBSTITUTES: Bardsley, Ki, Cabral, Roberge, Borini, Mavrias, Dixon
7.02pmCHELSEA SUBSTITUTES: Blackman, Terry, Essien, Oscar, Hazard, Ba, Torres
7.07pmIt had already been reported that Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole and Cesar Azpilicueta would return to Chelsea's starting lineup, but Mourinho has also included Kevin de Bruyne and Samuel Eto'o. Both players will be hoping to make their mark after both spending a spell on the sidelines due to lack of form and injury respectively.
7.09pmAs for Sunderland, they have made three changes from the team that started their goalless draw with West Ham United, with Andrea Dossena, Craig Gardner and Adam Johnson all coming into the side.
7.13pmAs I've already highlighted, Sunderland and Chelsea are no strangers to each other after their recent meeting on Wearside. Sunderland have improved under new head coach Gus Poyet, but they fell victim to a virtuoso performance from Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard as Chelsea won 4-3. The Belgian playmaker isn't in from the start tonight, but he could make an impact from the bench later on this evening.
7.17pmStrangely, Sunderland have been drawn at home in each of their three previous fixtures in this competition, while Chelsea have been handed away ties, and that trend continues tonight.
7.22pmSunderland started off with an entertaining 4-2 success over MK Dons, before they ousted another League One outfit in the third round by edging out Peterborough United 2-0. The Black Cats faced Premier League opposition in the last 16, but they were able to overcome Southampton thanks to a late goal from Sebastian Larsson.
7.26pmChelsea entered the competition a round later than Sunderland, but they deserve their place in the quarter-finals after two victories on the road. Fernando Torres and Ramires got on the score sheet as the Blues won 2-0 at Swindon Town, before Mourinho guided his team to an identical success at Arsenal, with Cesar Azpilicueta and Juan Mata scoring the goals.
7.31pmPREDICTION! Since the arrival of Gus Poyet, Sunderland have proven that they can compete with the best teams in the Premier League, and I would expect no different this evening. However, despite Chelsea making eight changes, they still possess a remarkable amount of quality in the starting XI, and while Sunderland will no doubt have their moments, I expect Chelsea to come through by the odd goal. Chelsea 2-1.
7.34pmYou can also follow Manchester City's trip to Leicester City with Sports Mole this evening by clicking here.
7.38pmRather surprisingly, there doesn't appear to be many inside the Stadium of Light at the moment. I'd have expected a near capacity crowd for a game such at this.
7.42pmThe two teams have made their way out onto the pitch at the Stadium of Light. The home outfit get a warm reception but there are still plenty of empty seats.
1 minSunderland get us underway.
3 minChelsea start the game with a sustained spell of possession that has Sunderland chasing shadows. It appeaars as those the visitors might be prepared to play the patient approach tonight.
4 minSHOT! Willian has had plenty of the ball so far, and his 30-yard ball to the left finds Schurrle. The German cuts inside onto his right foot, but his shot is straight at Mannone from 20 yards.
6 minChelsea get Willian on the ball once again, and the Brazilian twists and turns on the edge of the area before his low shot is well held by Mannone. This has been a good start from the Blues.
10 minSunderland surge down the left, but the move is brought to an end when Giaccherini's shot is blocked by Cahill. There are calls for handball, but the defender was only around two yards away from the ball.
13 minSHOT! That's a tad ambitious even for someone of Frank Lampard's ability. The veteran had possession of the ball around 35 yards from goal, and his attempt was always rising high into the stands.
16 minSunderland have done well to slow down Chelsea's early dominance, but the home side are still struggling to get anywhere near Mark Schwarzer's goal. It could be a long night for Jozy Altidore in attack.
18 minCHANCE! Schurrle leaves Brown on the deck after outmaneuvering the former Manchester United defender, but his cutback across the six-yard area evades everyone. Cole does his best to salvage the move at the back post, but the ball is cleared.
21 minSamuel Eto'o has struggled to get into the game so far, but he does well to combine with Willian to get a shot on goal, but his driven effort is blocked. The Cameroonian could do with a goal tonight.
25 minBOOKING! As cynical as you like from David Luiz. The Brazilian shoulder-blocks Giaccherini as the Italian looks to create an opening on goal, and it's a deserved yellow card.
28 minBOOKING! Moments after Chelsea have a man booked, a Sunderland player enters the book. Andrea Dossena is the man who has been cautioned after bringing down Willian on the right touchline.
31 minThis has turned into a very scrappy encounter at the Stadium of Light. Neither side are getting into their stride, but the more that Chelsea struggle, the louder the home supporters are becoming.
35 minKevin de Bruyne can't be too far away from a booking. He's committed three or four fouls in the opening 35 minutes, and you get the impression that the referee is beginning to lose his patience with the Belgian.
36 minSHOT! Sunderland lose possession, which gifts Willian an opportunity to break. The balls finds Lampard, but it is returned to the Brazilian, who fires narrowly wide of the far post.
41 minSHOT! Chelsea are beginning to up the tempo in the final 10 minutes of the first half, and the Sunderland fans aren't impressed. Schurrle drives towards goal, but despite drifting inside his marker, he scuffs his shot wide of Mannone's post.
43 minAdam Johnson goes on an incredible run from the centre of the pitch, but after dancing past three players, Chelsea clear. Just two minutes to go before the break, and I don't think that there will be much added-on time.
45+1 minHALF TIME: Sunderland 0-0 Chelsea
8.34pmThe half-time whistle goes at the Stadium of Light, and we are goalless at the break. It hasn't been the greatest of 45 minutes, and it can only get better in the second half.
8.39pmChelsea had eight shots on goal during that half, but only two were on target. However, it was a better effort than Sunderland, who managed just unsuccessful attempts before the break. The home side did have more of the ball though, with 53% of the possession.
8.43pmEdin Dzeko netted a second goal for Manchester City shortly before the interval, so Manuel Pellegrini's side already have one foot in the next round with a 2-0 advantage over Leicester City.
46 minChelsea get us back underway on Wearside.
46 minGOAL! Sunderland 0-1 Chelsea (Lampard)
46 minIt doesn't exactly make up for his "goal" against Germany in the 2010 World Cup, but Frank Lampard is on the positive end of goal-line technology. The midfielder bundled the ball home at the back post from Azpilicueta's cross and although the assistant didn't flag, the referee rightly indicated that the ball was over the line.
52 minCHANCE! That should be 2-0. Eto'o capitalised on a mistake in the Sunderland defence to move clear on goal, but he bent his low effort marginally wide of the post. Moments later, the Cameroonian had a second shot but it was deflected wide for a corner.
54 minIt's worth noting that Chelsea's opener could possibly have been an own goal by Lee Cattermole, who was playing close attention to Lampard. However, it would be harsh to take it off Lampard.
57 minSHOT! Chelsea are pushing for a second at the Stadium of Light, but Mannone has just kept the home team in the game. Lampard played in De Bruyne down the right, and the Belgian's powerful strike was tipped wide by the Italian.
59 minSHOT! Chelsea go close again. Schurrle does well down the right and his cross finds Eto'o. The Cameroonian lays the ball off to Lampard, who fires the ball inches over. Sunderland are getting camped in their own half.
62 minSUBSTITUTION! Sunderland are bringing on Ki for Gardner. Gardner was questioning the technology shortly after the goal, so he probably deserves to be substituted just for that.
65 minWe have a streaker on the pitch at the Stadium of Light, who is giving the stewards the run around. It's drawing amusement from both coaches and the 20,000 inside the stadium. That will be a couple of minutes added to the end of the match.
69 minSHOT! A sustained period of possession from the home side ends with Cattermole drilling a thunderous effort from 30 yards on goal, but it's an easy save for Schwarzer. That's the best that Sunderland have offered all evening.
70 minSUBSTITUTION! Azpilicueta picked up an injury a few minutes ago, and he hasn't been able to recover. Michael Essien has been thrown on in the Spaniard's place.
73 minDe Bruyne is released down the right, but his low cross is sliced away for a corner by Wes Brown. Before it can be taken, Eto'o is replaced by Demba Ba.
75 minSUBSTITUTION! The changes are coming thick and fast now. Sunderland's Adam Johnson has been withdrawn from the action, with former Chelsea man Fabio Borini being introduced in his place.
78 minSHOT! Chelsea are beginning to increase the intensity again, and moments after seeing a shot deflected wide, Schurrle tricked his way past Cattermole before striking a solid effort on goal, but Mannone was equal to it.
82 minEFFORT! That would have been some goal. David Luiz sent a 60-yard ball to Demba Ba, with the forward striking an audacious volley wide of Mannone's post. If he had connected properly with that, that would have been the goal of the month award wrapped up for December.
83 minSUBSTITUTION! Mourinho introduces Eden Hazard for the final seven minutes of the match, unless Sunderland can force an extra 30 minutes.
88 minJust two minutes to go at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland are having more possession, but they are yet to do anything with it.
88 minGOAL! Sunderland 1-1 Chelsea (Borini)
88 minIf ever there was a commentator's curse...this was it. Sunderland net a surprise equaliser at the Stadium of Light through Borini, who reacted fastest after Schwarzer had parried an effort from Altidore. Unbelievable.
90 minThere will be five minutes of added-on time.
90+1 minCHANCE! What a challenge from Gary Cahill! Fabio Borini looks ready to complete the most remarkable of turnarounds, but the England international dived in to prevent the ball finding the bottom corner.
90+5 minFULL TIME: Sunderland 1-1 Chelsea
9.39pmThat's the end of 90 minutes at the Stadium of Light, but that's not it for tonight. We will now have 30 minutes of extra time, thanks to that late goal from Borini. Sunderland didn't quite deserve their equaliser, but they have made Chelsea pay for failing to make the most of their attempts on goal.
9.41pmJose Mourinho might be regretting making his final change now. He has no substitutions remaining, while Sunderland have one. That could prove vital.
91 minChelsea get the extra 30 minutes underway.
92 minChelsea begin the extra period on top, but De Bruyne can't find the top corner with a speculative effort from 30 yards. The Belgian hasn't played much football recently, so it will be a big ask of his fitness to come through the next half hour.
94 minCHANCE! Chelsea are bombarding Sunderland's goal, but they can't regain the lead. Moments after Wes Brown makes a fine interception to deny Ba from heading home, David Luiz got in front of his marker to force Mannone into a sprawling save from his volley.
97 minWes Brown is having an absolute stormer in the centre of Sunderland's defence. Willian does brilliantly to get in down the left, but Brown lunges in to prevent his cross being converted into the net.
99 minCHANCE! Now it's Sunderland's turn to go close! Some fine work from Giaccherini enables a cross to be floated to the back post for Borini, but the attacker miscued his volley and the ball trickled wide.
102 minBoth teams seem content to let the action drift until the interval. It's been a fast pace since the restart, and it's starting to take its toll.
105+1 minHALF TIME: Sunderland 1-1 Chelsea
106 minSunderland get the action restarted. We have 15 minutes remaining at the Stadium of Light.
107 minThe home side earn an early corner after forcing Ashley Cole to put the ball behind, and Demba Ba does fantastically to nick the ball away from the awaiting head of O'Shea.
109 minSHOT! Lampard and Ba link up well to create an opening for De Bruyne, but he drags his 20-yard shot just wide of the right post.
110 minBOOKING! Essien brings down Giaccherini on the edge of the penalty area as the Italian winger threatened to burst into the box.
111 minOFF THE LINE! Larsson's free kick is only cleared to Ki, whose effort is diverted on goal by Altidore, but Essien makes an excellent intervention on the line to prevent the home side taking the lead.
114 minSAVE! How old is Mark Schwarzer? 41? He didn't look it then. The Australian stopper has just made a miraculous one-handed save to deny Ki, who was waiting for his header to find the top corner of the net. This period of extra time has been brilliant.
118 minGOAL! Sunderland 2-1 Chelsea (Ki)
118 minOh my. Sunderland look to have won it in the closing stages at the Stadium of Light. Borini collected the ball in the penalty area before playing the ball to Ki. The South Korean cut inside Essien, before drilling a shot into the bottom corner from 10 yards.
120 minThere will be two minutes of added-on time.
120+2 minFULL TIME: Sunderland 2-1 Chelsea
10.19pmThat's the end of proceedings at the Stadium of Light, and Sunderland have stunned Chelsea to progress through to the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup.
10.20pmFor 88 minutes of this match, Chelsea were fully deserving of their lead, but late goals in normal time and extra time have seen them dumped out of the competition. Jose Mourinho will not be impressed.
10.22pmThat will be all from Sports Mole for this match. Thank you for joining us this evening, and we will be back tomorrow for the remaining two quarter-finals. Goodbye for now.
Sunderland progressed to the semi-final of the Capital One Cup with a thrilling extra-time victory over Chelsea.
Chelsea dominated the majority of the 90 minutes, though their goal was fortuitous with Lee Cattermole poking the ball into his own goal.
The Blues seemed to be heading to the last four until a late Fabio Borini equaliser took the match to extra time.
From then on the Premier League's bottom club were the better side and Ki Sung-Yueng scored a deserved winner.
Sunderland progressed to the semi-final of the Capital One Cup with a thrilling extra-time victory over Chelsea.
Chelsea dominated the majority of the 90 minutes, though their goal was fortuitous, with Lee Cattermole poking the ball into his own goal.
The Blues seemed to be heading to the last four until a late Fabio Borini equaliser took the match to extra time.
From then on the Premier League's bottom club were the better side and Ki Sung-Yueng scored a deserved winner.
Sunderland will end the year bottom of the Premier League regardless of their incredible achievements in the League Cup.
But manager Gus Poyet regarded this quarter-final as an opportunity to galvanize his players for the club's fight for top-flight survival.
And the Uruguayan will surely be heartened by his players' character and courage during what were a demanding 120 minutes.
With a match against league leaders Arsenal on the horizon, extra time was a scenario Jose Mourinho would have dreaded, but Chelsea only had themselves to blame as they failed to capitalised on their dominance and allowed Sunderland to prolong what had been a turgid match up until Borini's dramatic strike.
The tireless Black Cats frustrated a Chelsea side which was much changed from the one which beat Crystal Palace in the league on Saturday. But whatever personnel the Portuguese chooses, it continues to be the same story for a Blues team which has too often been toothless inside the box this season.
Willian, who had the freedom to float around the pitch, was the away team's most potent player and had the best chance of the first half. Yet the Brazilian failed to capitalise on a Wes Brown error and dragged his effort wide of the far post.
Another Brown mistake, the defender again ceding possession near his own goal, led to another Chelsea chance but this time it was Samuel Eto'o who failed to make the most of his opportunity.
In truth, Mark Schwarzer was underemployed in the Chelsea goal.
A penalty appeal for a Cesar Azpilicueta handball was all the sparse 20,000 crowd had to shout about until Borini rewrote the script.
Chelsea had far more zip after the break, with Lee Cattermole's own goal giving the visitors the boost they needed.
Goal decision system technology was used before deciding whether to allow the goal, and replays also showed that Cattermole, rather than Frank Lampard, had the final touch as both players slid goalwards in chase of Azpilicueta's fine cross.
It was Sunderland's sixth own goal of the season, a seemingly ever-increasing statistic which has already left manager Poyet cursing his players' positioning rather than bad luck.
The hosts continued to make life difficult for themselves, with Gardner squandering possession too close to his own goal to give Eto'o the chance to come within a whisker of doubling his side's advantage.
It was all Chelsea - Andre Schurrle and Demba Ba went close to doubling the visitors lead - but the Londoners were not clinical enough in the final third of the pitch and paid the price as Borini forced the match into extra time.
Jozy Altidore's shot ricocheted towards Borini and the Italian finished from an acute angle for his second goal of the season.
Borini had the chance to finish the match in full time but a well-timed Gary Cahill tackle saved Chelsea.
Early on in extra time it was Mannone's turn to keep his side in the contest, with the goalkeeper diving low to save David Luiz's volley, but the momentum was with Sunderland.
Borini scuffed an effort at the far post and a brilliant one-handed save from Mark Schwarzer prevented Ki's diving header from finding the net. But the veteran Australian could do little to prevent the midfielder from scoring for a memorable victory.
SUNDERLAND v NORWICH: All the latest team news and stats as rock bottom Black Cats aim to bridge gap to safety
Stadium of Light (Saturday, 3pm)
Sunderland team news:
Sunderland boss Gus Poyet can bring back striker Steven Fletcher and midfielder Jack Colback for Saturday's crucial Barclays Premier League clash with Norwich at the Stadium of Light.
Both Fletcher and Colback missed the midweek Capital One Cup win over Chelsea due to illness but have returned to training and are expected to declare themselves fully fit.
Poyet had no new injury worries arising from the win over Jose Mourinho's men, but goalkeeper Keiren Westwood (shoulder) and defender Carlos Cuellar (hip) are both still missing.
Norwich club-record signing Ricky van Wolfswinkel (toe) and Scotland winger Robert Snodgrass (knee) are both set to be back in the squad for Saturday's Barclays Premier League trip to bottom club Sunderland.
Goalkeeper Mark Bunn is back training after his ankle operation and could be involved again.
However, midfielder Anthony Pilkington (hamstring) remains sidelined, along with winger Elliott Bennett (knee) and midfielder Alexander Tettey (ankle).
Craig Gardner scored in both Premier League meetings with Norwich City last season.
None of the last 11 league meetings between Norwich and Sunderland has ended as an away win (nine home wins and two draws).
After failing to score in his first five Premier League appearances, Gary Hooper has now scored in four of his last six (four goals in total) games for Norwich.
Norwich have conceded more goals away from home than any other team in the Premier League this season (21).
Sunderland, meanwhile, have conceded more home goals than any other Premier League side (16).
Norwich are the only team yet to pick up a yellow card for dissent in the Premier League this season.
Sunderland’s only two wins this season have come against sides currently in the top six (Newcastle and Manchester City).
Sunderland are going to be bottom of the Premier League table at Christmas (four points adrift currently).
Only one team in Premier League history (WBA in 2004-05) have been bottom on Christmas Day and avoided relegation.
Sunderland were bottom at Christmas in 2005-06 and ended that season in 20th place.
Sunderland v Norwich City preview: SAFC aim to avoid double trouble
Recent history has shown cup success and Premier League survival do not always mix but Ondrej Celustka is determined to prove otherwise.
Amid the jubilation of Tuesday’s thrilling Capital One Cup win over Chelsea, there was a black cloud doing its best to obscure the silver lining to Sunderland’s season.
With Sebastian Larsson and Craig Gardner in their squad, the Black Cats know only too well cup glory is no insurance against relegation.
This is already the club’s best League Cup season since 1998-99, despite having so far been a contender for one of the worst in the league.
Yet Larsson and Gardner were part of the last team to achieve the unwanted double of winning the League Cup in the same season as Birmingham City dropped out of the Premier League.
This year, Wigan Athletic won the FA Cup only to go down days later.
It is a bit premature given there is still a two-legged semi-final against Manchester United to overcome, but the possibility remains Sunderland could follow in those ominous footsteps.
Regardless of the result, the Wearsiders will still be bottom of the table tonight – but today’s league visit of Norwich City will be important in avoiding that fate.
Tuesday’s extra-time win was only their third against top-flight opposition this season. None have come against bottom-half opposition.
With Sunderland, as usual, looking so much more convincing at home than away (they are still to win on their travels), this afternoon’s game is an important opportunity to put that right.
Ondrej Celustka may have joined the club too late to fully appreciate the context of what Sunderland are trying to achieve – and avoid – but the right-back is very conscious of the over-riding importance of Premier League survival.
He admitted: “I did not realise it was 15 years (since Sunderland had last reached the League Cup semi-finals).
“It should be very nice and it would be even better if we could reach the final. I would have to say we have to concentrate particularly for the Premier League also.
“We do not want relegation in the same year.
“We have important matches every week now and Norwich is just as important as the Chelsea game.
“We have the quality in the squad to stay up, just look at our performance when we started to play against Chelsea. I’m here in my first year and I have loved beating Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle at home.
“They were big performances for us and we have to deliver those every week.”
For Celustka, like all the other 13 players who joined Sunderland in the summer, playing in the Premier League was a big attraction.
Even growing up in the Czech Republic, it was England’s top flight he used to enjoy watching, developing a soft spot for next month’s semi-final opponents but whereas Sam Allardyce – manager of West Ham United, the other semi-final second-favourites – has been determined to put all his club’s eggs in the Premier League basket, Celustka – like coach Gustavo Poyet – does not see it as a choice between league and cup.
While Allardyce was resting as many of his players as possible to prioritise today’s Premier League game at Old Trafford, only for his stand-ins to muck things up by coming from behind to beat Tottenham Hospur and add two more games to their schedule, Poyet fielded a near full-strength side against Chelsea.
Rather than seeing Tuesday night as a drain on his squad’s energy ahead of a typically over-hectic Festive period, Poyet and Celustka both felt victory could have a hugely beneficial effect on the team’s chances of beating the drop.
“It was a great night for us,” Celustka said of the dramatic 2-1 victory.
“We deserved it for the hard work we put in until the last minute. It was a great result for us and great for the club to reach the semi-final.
“Now we have to try to make the final.
“That would be fantastic for Sunderland.
“It also needs to be the start of our push to stay in the Premier League.
“This game should help us. It is very important.
“We now have Norwich on Saturday and hopefully we will take the three points.”
Two more games also means two more opportunities to refine the more patient style of play Poyet has tried to impose on the struggling team. Celustka took Tuesday as another indication it is starting to pay dividends.
He added: “People and our fans see we play more football now.
“We enjoy learning different parts of the game under this manager.
“We believe a bit more than we did before and in each other. Hopefully, that will continue.”
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Norwich and Sunderland lock horns again for the ‘Friendly Cup’
A lot of fuss is made around winning footballing silverware.
If you’re content to believe everything that Messrs Lineker, Stelling and co tell us, the Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League and, perhaps, the Capital One Cup are the only shows in town. The be all and end all.
But they’re wrong.
When it comes to nail-biting drama, edge-of-the-seat excitement and the extremes of joy and despair there’s only one that really matters… the ‘Friendly Cup’.
Never heard of it? Shame on you.
For the uninitiated it’s a cup – THE cup – that’s played for when Sunderland and City meet, and was triggered by the most convivial Milk Cup (League Cup) final in history when the two sides met at Wembley in 1985.
The ticker-tape parade that accompanied City’s 3-2 aggregate win last season should tell you all you need to know, likewise the 4-2 win for Sunderland in 2011/12 that brought Wearside to a standstill.
Still with me?
Well the ‘Friendly Cup’ kicks off again tomorrow with City making the dreaded journey north-east for the second time in a month; the first typically ending in defeat at St James’ Park. And it’s ‘dreaded’ because our record in that part of the world is woeful.
The history books tell us 1997 was the last time City managed a win on Wearside – Daryl Sutch being the unlikely goal-scoring hero that day – so no-one can argue we’re not due one.
The big question of course is which City team will turn up. If it’s the one that has (dis)appeared on the majority of road-trips then we may as well not bother turning up, while our friends in red and white stripes can do so accompanied by cigars and carpet slippers.
If however the team that briefly flickered to life at the Britannia and re-appeared two months later at The Hawthorns puts in an appearance then the travelling Yellow Army could be in for a good one.
Time will tell of course, but such has been our form outside the city walls it’s impossible to call.
For their part Sunderland enter the game buoyed by their Capital One Cup quarter-final win over Chelsea and, while still rooted at the bottom of the table, are showing signs of turning things around.
Gus Poyet’s impact has been positive and has brought some stability that was never going to sit comfortably alongside Di Canio’s eccentricities.
At yesterday’s press conference Hughton offered City fans an early Christmas present with news that Ricky van Wolfswinkel and Robert Snodgrass are now available for selection; a bonus given that the latter had initially been ruled out for the Christmas period.
Another obvious plus for City is the goalscoring form of Gary Hooper – four goals in six hopefully giving us a taster of things to come – with the possibility of him ‘poaching’ a goal, even if things are going badly something of a rarity of late.
So… the the first-leg of the ‘Friendly Cup’ it is. Fasten your seat-belts folks, it’s going to be emotional.
Big match analysis: Vital victory can move Sunderland in touching distance of pack
THE CURSE of being bottom of the Premier League table at Christmas has not really sparked any high-pitched screaming on Wearside this week.
Only West Brom, in 2004-05, have managed to evade the drop after they were propping up the pack as the turkeys were being gobbled.
But opinion on the terraces seems to fall into two categories at the moment:
1. Sunderland are doomed anyway.
2. The more inviting home fixtures over the second half of the season will give them the opportunity to make light of trends over previous years.
Certainly, if Sunderland can secure a first win in six Premier League outings tomorrow, then being at the basement won’t seem so daunting with just a couple of points separating Gus Poyet’s side from those above them.
They would still need to win at least once, probably twice, in the subsequent three games, but at least it would edge Sunderland closer to the pack.
Realistically, anything less than victory this weekend must be considered a major blow to staying up though.
If the Black Cats are not yet drinking in the last-chance saloon, then they are getting their glad rags on in preparation for indulging there.
Another missed opportunity like Aston Villa or West Ham could prove to be fatal.
But at least Sunderland have mustered a degree of momentum after Tuesday’s stirring League Cup victory over Chelsea.
Sunderland’s players might have endured an extra 30 minutes on the legs, but that was preferable to what looked to be a routine victory for Chelsea in the second half, with the hosts lacking belief and urgency.
Crucially, Poyet’s men emerged victorious from extra time too. That feeling of euphoria at staging such a stirring comeback against Chelsea should block out any sense of fatigue.
Two of the pivotal figures in the Capital One Cup success, Ki Sung-Yeung and Fabio Borini, will surely return to the starting XI after getting a breather for the opening hour or so against Chelsea.
But will there be other fresh faces?
Perhaps Andrea Dossena may get a chance at left-back, but there has to be a suspicion that Sunderland’s line-up won’t look too dissimilar from the one at West Ham last weekend.
Norwich will have Ricky van Wolfswinkel available again after injury.
But Canaries boss Chris Hughton will be reluctant to drastically alter a side that has taken four points from the last two games.
Three of those points came at West Brom a fortnight ago, which provided some away cheer after several hidings on the road this season have led Norwich to concede more goals on their travels than any other Premier League side.
But just when the murmurs over Hughton’s future were starting to gather pace again, his players have responded, particularly summer signing Gary Hooper, who netted his fourth goal in six games last weekend.
Hooper is the obvious dangerman to provide the latest test to Wes Brown.
Yet tomorrow’s clash may be fought more in the mind than at the feet.
Norwich can relax slightly after recent results and have the decent incentive of reaching 20 points by Christmas.
But Sunderland need to overcome the inevitable trepidation and impose themselves in the same manner as a superb extra-time display against Chelsea.
Certainly, the Black Cats showed few signs of nerves at Upton Park last weekend, even if their finishing lacked composure. And in their current situation, there should be no “what if” to worry about for Sunderland’s players.
They know exactly what will happen if there is no upturn in their results.
That improvement has to begin tomorrow, otherwise Sunderland will look even more likely to become the latest victim of the Premier League’s Christmas curse.
Alfred N'Diaye unlikely to be recalled by Sunderland in January.
A source close to Alfred N'Diaye believes the midfielder is unlikely to have his loan spell at Turkish side Eskisehirspor cut short in January.
Alfred N'Diaye is not expecting a January recall to Wearside.
The French midfielder joined Turkish side Eskisehirspor on a season-long loan deal in the summer, just six months after his £3.5m arrival at Sunderland.
N’Diaye was one of previous boss Martin O’Neill’s final signings, but O’Neill’s successor Paolo Di Canio allowed him to leave on loan.
Now Di Canio himself has left and new head coach Gus Poyet says he has thought about activating the recall clause in N’Diaye’s deal next month, although that would mean returning some of the loan fee Sunderland received from Eskisehirspor.
However, it seems unlikely that will happen, with a source close to N’Diaye saying: “Honestly, I do not see Alfred going back to Sunderland in January.”
Poyet says he has considered N’Diaye’s situation, however.
He said: “I have thought about it (recalling N’Diaye). I am not going to give out too much information, but people will know in January.
“Every issue is on my mind. We are having meetings practically every day.”
N’Diaye started every game under Di Canio and it was a surprise when he was allowed to depart on loan.
He has made a success of his loan move and is in no rush to return, with his form at Eskisehirspor earning him an international call and he made his debut for Senegal in October.
Poyet is also unlikely to recall striker Danny Graham from his season-long loan at Hull City during the transfer window.
That option is available to the Black Cats, but it seems Graham will be allowed to remain at the KC Stadium.
Graham said: “I have not spoken to anyone at Sunderland.
“I have not spoken to the new manager, as it was Paolo (Di Canio) who sent me out on loan.” Poyet has also resisted the temptation to recall in-form England Under 21 striker Connor Wickham from his loan spell at Championship side Sheffield Wednesday, which expires on New Year’s Day.
Wickham has scored five goals in seven games for the Owls and Poyet was happy for him to remain at Hillsborough playing first-team football rather than stay at Sunderland as back-up for Steven Fletcher and Jozy Altidore.
He said: “I do not want to bring him back because of how we are as a group at the moment.
“But it’s pleasing to see him doing well because I know how frustrating it can be for a player to not have a chance.
“When they go on loan, you do not know how it’s going to work for them.
“I am delighted he is scoring and what an important goal and what a goal as well (against Watford last weekend).”
Wickham’s form has attracted the attention of Nottingham Forest, with boss Billy Davies understood to be preparing a move for the 20-year-old when he returns from his stint at Wednesday.
Forest – owned by the wealthy Fawaz Al-Hasawi – may look at a loan move with a view to a permanent deal.
Sunderland may decide that now is the time to cash in on a player they paid £8m for two-and-a-half years ago but who has failed to break into the first-team on Wearside.
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Sunderland keeper Westwood may need a shoulder operation
KEIREN WESTWOOD could need an operation to cure the shoulder problem which has been plaguing him for the last two months.
Sunderland had hoped goalkeeper Westwood would be available for tomorrow’s clash with Norwich City after more than a month’s absence from the Black Cats squad.
But the 29-year-old, who started the season as Sunderland number one, continues to be troubled by a shoulder injury which may now require surgery.
Westwood was forced to pull out of the Republic of Ireland squad in October with the problem and was given a pain-killing injection which initially appeared to have solved it.
But the injury was aggravated in Sunderland’s defeat at Hull last month after a clash with Paul McShane forced the stopper off.
Head coach Gus Poyet said: “Keiren is seeing a specialist and is still feeling it a little bit.
“We need to make that decision now on what is the next step with him. It’s a medical decision which we need to make.
“It’s difficult to decide what will be better for him – an operation or not. The medical staff need to be convinced, but an operation is one of the options.”
Summer signing Vito Mannone has deputised well in Westwood’s absence, but he is the only other senior goalkeeper on Sunderland’s books.
Youngsters Jordan Pickford and Joel Dixon have both been on the bench over recent weeks, yet if Westwood does go under the knife, it could lead Poyet to consider entering the market for a goalkeeper in January.
Sunderland have been linked with QPR’s Julio Cesar, although the Brazilian’s wages at Loftus Road would be far more than the Black Cats were willing to pay.
Poyet will wait on Wickham’s return to Sunderland.
GUS POYET admits he has not been tempted to bring Nottingham Forest target Connor Wickham back early from his loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday.
But the Sunderland head coach has been encouraged to see the England Under-21 frontman enjoying a profitable spell at Hillsborough after netting his fifth goal in seven games for the Owls last weekend.
While the Black Cats have been struggling for Premier League goals, Wickham has had no problems finding the net for Wednesday, despite the club’s struggles in the Championship relegation zone.
That form has not gone unnoticed, with reports in the Midlands suggesting Wednesday’s Championship rivals Forest are ready to make a move for Wickham when his loan at Hillsborough expires on New Year’s Day.
Sunderland have had the option to bring the England Under-21 striker back to Wearside before then, but Poyet says staying at Wednesday has been best for Wickham’s development and he will discuss the next step for the 20-year-old at the end of his loan.
Poyet told the Echo: “I don’t want to bring him back because of how we are as a group at the moment.
“But it’s pleasing to see him doing well because I know how frustrating it can be for a player to not have a chance.
“When they go on loan, you don’t know how it’s going to work for them.
“But I’m delighted that he’s scoring and what an important goal and what a goal as well (against Watford last weekend).
“It’s going to be great for him.
“I don’t want to analyse things too much before everything is finished. When he’s finished the loan, we’ll talk.”
Forest are reported to be preparing a loan move, with a view to a permanent deal, for Wickham.
While Wednesday are unlikely to have the financial resources to tempt Sunderland into selling a player who cost £8million in the summer of 2011, Forest are one of the few Championship clubs with deep pockets, thanks to the backing of owner Fawaz Al Hasawi.
There was talk earlier this month that Sunderland are willing to part company with Wickham in the January transfer window.
But Poyet told the Echo last week that Wickham’s future will not be decided until he returns to Wearside after the end of his loan.
Poyet said: “We haven’t even talked about that (a permanent departure). He needs to play and after he gets back from loan, we will talk with him as well.”
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Poyet praise for Sunderland’s Bardsley
PHIL BARDSLEY has seen his Sunderland career rotate 360 degrees in the last two months.
When Gus Poyet arrived at the Stadium of Light, there appeared little prospect of Bardsley ever playing for Sunderland again.
The 28-year-old was ostracised by former head coach Paolo Di Canio for celebrating Sunderland’s survival last season in a casino, and then subsequently earned the fury of supporters by mocking the Black Cats’ opening day defeat to Fulham – comments which earned him a club suspension.
Only a broken foot sustained while playing for the Under-21s in August, prevented Sunderland’s longest-serving first-teamer from ending his stint on Wearside and joining Fulham.
But after watching Bardsley feature in a behind-closed-doors U21s friendly following his appointment, Poyet offered the full-back an olive branch.
Since then, Bardsley has been a fixture in Poyet’s plans.
There have been a couple of own goals along the way, but Bardsley has been one of Sunderland’s most consistent performers - netting three times at the right end and going closer than anyone at West Ham last weekend with a 25-yard drive that rattled the crossbar.
Poyet told the Echo: “There are players that I cannot complain about.
“I’ve seen where we were when we arrived and people weren’t talking on the pitch and we had players starting from zero (with their fitness).
“Phil was one of the main ones starting from zero, but you can see how much he cares.
“He’s becoming one of biggest threats going forward too!
“He wants to play all the time and he’s always part of the group.
“He’s a very good character; someone who really feels for the club and it’s important to have players like that.”
Bardsley is one of nine Sunderland first-team players out-of-contract at the end of the season and there have been reports that the Black Cats will offer the former Manchester United man a new deal.
But while Sunderland remain embroiled in the relegation zone, that looks unlikely.
Transfer news: Sunderland boss Gus Poyet hoping to move quickly in January
Sunderland manager Gus Poyet will look to strike early when the January transfer window opens and bolster his ranks.
Having inherited a squad from predecessor Paolo Di Canio in October, Poyet has been unable to put his own stamp on the Black Cats.
He will get that opportunity in the New Year, and he has been working hard to piece together a plan of attack.
The intention is to move quickly, giving new recruits as long as possible to settle and play as big a role as possible over the remainder of the campaign - as Sunderland scrap to preserve their Premier League status.
Poyet told The Echo: "My aim all the time is to do things quickly in January.
"We're having meetings practically every day and we're getting close to January now.
"January 1st is a Wednesday, it's not on the weekend, so if there are not any problems with bringing them in from abroad, they could be signed that day.
"Those are the things you need to manage. But it's not only in my hands. It's in the hands of the other people as well - the player, the other club, the transfer, the agreement and if there are other options. There are so many things involved.
"Now, as the manager, I want them in tomorrow so they could train with us for a week before the first. That would be perfection."
Poyet acknowledges that time is not on his side, with Sunderland five points from safety, but claims to have plenty of options to explore in January.
He added: "There are some deals that I would prefer not to do immediately because you need to wait. But, with waiting, you don't know if it's going to happen.
"If I have got another option, which I like and is similar, I'll do it and the other one loses his chance. If you wait and wait, you can lose six or seven games by then."
"January 1st is a Wednesday, it's not on the weekend, so if there are not any problems with bringing them in from abroad, they could be signed that day."
Gus Poyet
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Rowell Report: Sunderland’s game at West Ham was a golden opportunity for three points
USUALLY, I would regard an away point as a good one, but at Upton Park against a depleted West Ham team last week, I feel we let a great chance of victory get away from us once again.
The point gained doesn’t really improve our position a great deal.
At least we denied the Hammers the victory that would have widened the gap between us even further, but West Ham were there for the taking and we should have got more than a draw.
Suspensions and injuries meant West Ham were below strength and vulnerable and it was a good time to play them, but we didn’t fully capitalise on that situation.
Just like our previous away game at Aston Villa, a 0-0 draw could easily have been a win, and these are the opportunities where we have to be getting maximum points.
Sunderland had more possession, corners and shots on target than West Ham, but we lacked a killer instinct and weren’t ruthless enough in the final third.
This Sunderland team don’t seem to be able to get it right at both ends of the pitch at the same time.
If we keep a clean sheet, we don’t score and if we’re finding the net, then we leak goals at the other end.
Gus Poyet needs to get that balance right, as it really wouldn’t have taken much to win both of our last two away games and four points has slipped away from Sunderland too easily.
Jozy Altidore, Fabio Borini and Ki Sung-Yueng all had very good chances to get the one goal that would have been enough for victory as I couldn’t see West Ham coming back if they went behind, even if Phil Bardsley was unlucky with his shot that struck the bar.
The fact that Vito Mannone barely had a save to make, while Jussi Jaaskelainen was West Ham’s man of the match, tells its own story.
Sunderland boss Gus Poyet makes three changes from Tuesday's extra-time League Cup victory over Chelsea. Phil Bardsley, Ki Sung-Yueng and Fabio Borini return, with Andrew Dossena, Craig Gardner and Adam Johnson dropping to the bench.
Norwich make one change after last week's 1-1 draw with Swansea, Robert Snodgrass replacing Jonny Howson in midfield. Norwich's Twitter feed reports that Howson has picked up an injury.
Sunderland remain adrift at the bottom after draw with Norwich City
Sunderland have improved under Gus Poyet's management but they are taking baby steps at a time when incremental progress punctuated by the odd regressive wobble simply will not do.
Teams stuck to the bottom of the Premier League at Christmas require great leaps forward if relegation is to be avoided, yet Norwich's collection of a most straightforward point suggests Poyet's players remain an awful long way from making a great leap forward.
Last Tuesday night's extra-time League Cup quarter-final win against Chelsea appeared even more of a damaging irrelevance on a day when, looking anything but sure-footed, Sunderland lost their new found balance.
Poyet's mood was not improved by the late, arguably harsh, red card shown to Wes Brown for a stupid challenge on Ricky van Wolfswinkel. Martin Atkinson could possibly have been more lenient but Brown did jump in with reckless abandon and Sunderland will not win any appeal.
"It's disappointing, I wasn't expecting this," said a deeply downcast Poyet. "We have no excuses. I'm not going to comment on the referee's decision. That's life. It's getting more and more difficult for us. The quality is what you see, there is no more but there were things that happened today that are difficult to explain."
With Sunderland distinctly edgy, Chris Hughton's side passed and moved smoothly enough as Leroy Fer proved his midfield worth. When Robert Snodgrass crumpled under Phil Bardsley's challenge, Norwich appealed for a penalty but Snodgrass's collapse was a little dramatic for Atkinson's tastes.
Nathan Redmond unleashed a swerving shot from distance but Vito Mannone turned it around a post quite brilliantly. The odd cameo from the clearly talented Fabio Borini apart, John Ruddy had very little to do, the visiting goalkeeper suffering a few minor frights.
Despite Lee Cattermole's best efforts, Sunderland struggled to force any sort of tempo and, with Norwich coasting comfortably, the atmosphere remained stubbornly flat. Exploiting space vacated by the out-of-position Sebastien Bassong, Borini shot. It flew wide. The same fate met an overly ponderous Jozy Altidore whose physical presence and nuisance value do not compensate for his lack of goals.
Altidore and friends struggled to make much happen, let alone actually get behind a visiting defence they were playing virtually all their football in front of.
It could have been worse. When John O'Shea missed a header the ball fell invitingly to Gary Hooper but, taken by surprise, the striker could not react swiftly enough. Judging by Poyet's expression half-time came as a relief.
His side began the second half in more dominant fashion but failed to move the ball quickly enough. Weathering this gentle breeze, Norwich reasserted themselves and, clearly increasingly alarmed by so much home puffing and huffing, Poyet replaced Emmanuele Giaccherini with Adam Johnson. With Altidore's lack of movement glaringly apparent, the crowd agitated for Steven Fletcher's liberation from the bench and, taking the hint, Sunderland's manager threw him on.
When Brown's header brushed the outside of an upright after a Sebastian Larsson corner provoked rare dissaray in the Norwich defence, hope flickered. It flared again when Michael Turner's superb, last ditch, tackle denied Fletcher a goal.
Poyet's substitutions were working but Wearsiders groaned when Norwich's key striker and record signing Van Wolfswinkel marked his return from a lengthy injury by stepping off the bench. Undeterred, Ki Sung-yueng spotted that Ruddy had been drawn off his line but his intended chip into an empty net ended up floating fractionally over the bar.
It served as a microcosm of a grey Wearside day about to be blemished by Brown's dismissal. Hughton, though, could see only blue sky. "A draw and a clean sheet away is always a good result," he said. "Wes Brown's challenge was definitely a red but it was a shame because it wasn't that sort of game."
Sunderland 0 Norwich City 0: Wes Brown red-carded as Black Cats face up to bleak Christmas
Gus Poyet was left facing a bleak Christmas as 10-man Sunderland's must-win clash with Norwich ended goalless.
The Black Cats, who dumped Chelsea out of the Capital One Cup in midweek to book a place in the semi-finals, could not repeat the dose when they needed it most to leave themselves firmly rooted to the foot of the Barclays Premier League table.
Sunderland have now won just four of their last 32 league games, and a paltry tally of 10 points from their opening 16 fixtures of the season leaves them in pole position to slip out of the top flight unless they can engineer a major fightback.
Defender Wes Brown, sent off in stoppage time for a foul on substitute Ricky van Wolfswinkel, came closest to a winner when he hit the outside of the post with a 57th-minute header, while Ki Sung-yueng missed the target with Canaries keeper John Ruddy missing in action.
But despite the Black Cats stretching Norwich repeatedly after the break, they were unable to find the breakthrough to leave the bulk of a crowd of 37,778 fearing the worst.
Norwich had the better chances in a first half which saw neither goalkeeper unduly stretched.
Canaries stopper Ruddy was not called upon until the 37th minute, when he had to get down well to claim a shot from distance from Phil Bardsley - the full-back remains the club's joint-top scorer, a reflection of their difficulties.
Vito Mannone was busier at the other end, turning away Nathan Redmond's 13th-minute strike and then beating away a Gary Hooper piledriver five minutes before the break.
Hooper had earlier been left kicking himself after John O'Shea had completely misjudged Martin Olsson's left-wing cross, which hit the astonished striker in the chest before he could react.
For their part, most of Sunderland's efforts came from distance with Ki, Sebastian Larsson and Lee Cattermole all wayward before Bardsley tested Ruddy.
However, the keeper was relieved to see Jozy Altidore's deflected shot drop just wide of the far post after Brown had headed down Bardsley's 36th-minute free-kick.
The home side returned knowing they had to be much, much better, and they started encouragingly with Fabio Borini winning an early free-kick which Larsson saw deflected over the bar.
From the resulting corner, Bardsley and team-mate O'Shea collided, leaving the Republic of Ireland international nursing a shoulder injury which needed treatment on and then off the field.
But his side had a glorious opportunity to take the lead when Cattermole picked out the unmarked Brown beyond the far post and he controlled before stabbing the ball inside to Ondrej Celustka.
The full-back looked odds-on to score, but he delayed and Johan Elmander managed to bundle the ball behind with the home fans appealing in vain for a penalty for his challenge.
But as the Black Cats committed men to the search for the opening goal, they put the Canaries under pressure and they almost cracked with 64 minutes gone when full-back Steven Whittaker thumped and attempted clearance against team-mate Michael Turner and the ball dropped into the path of Borini.
However, as he waited for it to settle, the cover arrived and he eventually prodded his shot tamely at the keeper.
But Hooper should really have put Norwich ahead four minutes later when Robert Snodgrass picked him out at the far post unopposed, only to see him head wide.
Sunderland boss Gus Poyet decided the time was right to replace Altidore with Steven Fletcher, and the newcomer might have made his mark almost immediately when Bardsley flicked Larsson's 70th-minute corner towards him.
The Scotland international could not make meaningful contact, but when Turner's sliced clearance dropped to Brown at the far post, he headed against the outside of the upright.
Norwich should have taken an 82nd-minute lead when van Wolfswinkel was played in on goal, but could not beat Mannone.
But Poyet was left with his head in his hands seconds later when Ruddy rushed from his box but was beaten to the ball by Borini, who squared for Ki.
Turner got back on to the line with his keeper hopelessly stranded, but the South Korea international lifted his shot from 20 yards over the bar, and the home side's fortunes took a further turn for the worst at the death when Brown saw red for hacking his way through van Wolfswinkel from behind.
Premier League preview: Everton host Sunderland at Goodison Park
Everton welcome rock-bottom Sunderland to Goodison Park on Boxing Day as they look to continue their assault on the Premier League top four.
The Toffees have exceeded expectations this term, losing only one of the 17 top flight outings and are unbeaten in their last 10.
A 2-1 victory over Swansea at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday temporarily elevated Roberto Martinez's men into the Champions League places, before Chelsea's goalless draw at Arsenal put them ahead on goal difference.
The likes of Ross Barkley, who stole the headlines after scoring a stunning winner in South Wales, Seamus Coleman, James McCarthy and Gareth Barry have all impressed in recent weeks; but top scorer Romelu Lukaku has now gone four games without a goal.
Although Martinez will consider fifth to be a good return at Christmas, Everton could have found themselves higher were it not for seven draws - a joint league high with West Bromwich Albion.
Everton's only defeat of the season came away to Manchester City, but considering they have won all their home games and scored 35 goals in the process, it is not surprising that is the only blight on the Toffees' 100% record.
Conversely, the winter outlook at Sunderland is rather bleak, with the Black Cats rooted at the foot of the table, having only just broken into double figures.
Gus Poyet's side have just two wins to their name, both of which coming in their last 10 outings, and remain in search of the league form which will ignite their season.
Despite the Premier League table looking gloomy for Sunderland, their cup displays have shown signs of quality with a scintillating half-hour seeing them to an extra-time victory over Chelsea as they booked a place in the Capital One Cup semi-finals.
After spending almost 90 minutes without threatening the title contenders, a late equaliser from Fabio Borini took the tie into extra time, where Ki Sung Yueng sealed victory late on.
Poyet will hope his men can display such heart and resilience in the coming league fixtures to drag themselves out of the relegation mire and pull towards safety.
Paul Merson's prediction
Everton are flying along and getting great results but I don't think Sunderland are a bottom-of-the-table team and they should stay up. Everton will win this game but they aren't playing a group of no-hopers so I think this will be closer than a lot of people would expect.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0
Everton
Everton manager Roberto Martinez could receive a late Christmas gift with left-back Leighton Baines set to be in contention against Sunderland.
The defender has missed the last five games after suffering a broken toe and will provide added impetus for Everton as they look to improve on their fifth-placed positioning.
Blues striker Nikica Jelavic is also expected to be available having missed Sunday's 2-1 win over Swansea with a minor hamstring injury.
Midfielder Steven Pienaar and defender Sylvain Distin both sustained knocks at the Liberty Stadium but neither should be ruled out, while veteran full back Tony Hibbert is also over a knee problem.
Sunderland
Sunderland manager Gus Poyet will have to sweat on the fitness of John O'Shea who faces a fight to be available for the trip to Goodison Park.
The Republic of Ireland international is currently undergoing assessments on shoulder damage sustained in the Black Cats' goalless stalemate with Norwich at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.
O'Shea defensive partner Wes Brown is unavailable as he serves the first of a three-match ban following his late red card against the Canaries.
Poyet is still with goalkeeper Keiren Westwood and defender Carlos Cuellar who are both ruled out with shoulder and hip injuries respectively.
Opta Facts
Everton have lost just two of their last 36 Premier League home games (W24 D10 L2).
Sunderland have been given more red cards in Premier League games than any other side this season (5).
The last time that Everton went unbeaten a home in the league for a whole calendar year was back in 1962. They have only managed this three times previously (1894, 1939, 1962).
Sunderland's victory over Everton in April ended a run of 16 without a win in the Premier League for the Black Cats against the Toffees (D4 L12).
45:00 +2:12 Half time
Half Time
First Half ends, Everton 0, Sunderland 1. 42:54 Attempt missed. Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick. 41:39 Booking
Booking
Gareth Barry (Everton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. 41:33 Foul by Gareth Barry (Everton). 41:33 Jack Colback (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 40:16 Attempt missed. Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) left footed shot from the left side of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Ki Sung-Yueng. 36:01 Attempt missed. Ki Sung-Yueng (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Sebastian Larsson with a cross following a corner. 35:33 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Bryan Oviedo. 35:27 Attempt saved. Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. 35:25 Attempt saved. Ondrej Celustka (Sunderland) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ki Sung-Yueng. 34:16 Foul by James McCarthy (Everton). 34:16 Jack Colback (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 33:08 Offside, Everton. Bryan Oviedo tries a through ball, but Sylvain Distin is caught offside. 32:25 James McCarthy (Everton) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 32:25 Foul by Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland). 31:30 Foul by Kevin Mirallas (Everton). 31:30 Jack Colback (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 30:21 Seamus Coleman (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 30:21 Foul by Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland). 26:18 Gareth Barry (Everton) wins a free kick on the left wing. 26:18 Foul by Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland). 24:47 Goal scored
Goal!
Goal! Everton 0, Sunderland 1. Ki Sung-Yueng (Sunderland) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner. 23:55 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Everton. Joel Robles replaces Leon Osman. 22:26 Dismissal
Dismissal
Tim Howard (Everton) is shown the red card. 22:19 Penalty conceded by Tim Howard (Everton) after a foul in the penalty area. 22:19 Penalty Sunderland. Ki Sung-Yueng draws a foul in the penalty area. 15:45 Foul by Leon Osman (Everton). 15:45 Jack Colback (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 14:51 Attempt saved. Jack Colback (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Fabio Borini. 13:59 Attempt missed. James McCarthy (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Kevin Mirallas. 11:10 Attempt missed. Gareth Barry (Everton) header from the right side of the six yard box is too high. Assisted by Kevin Mirallas with a cross following a corner. 10:36 Corner, Everton. Conceded by Modibo Diakité. 8:25 Leon Osman (Everton) wins a free kick on the left wing. 8:25 Foul by Modibo Diakité (Sunderland). 7:20 Attempt saved. Bryan Oviedo (Everton) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. 6:48 Steven Pienaar (Everton) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 6:48 Foul by Modibo Diakité (Sunderland). 6:10 Attempt missed. Fabio Borini (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Ki Sung-Yueng. 5:59 Foul by Kevin Mirallas (Everton). 5:59 Lee Cattermole (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 0:00
First Half begins. 0:00 Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Full Time Match ends, Everton 0, Sunderland 1. 90:00 +3:25 Full time/ Full Time Second Half ends, Everton 0, Sunderland 1. 90:00 +3:07 Attempt missed. Romelu Lukaku (Everton) header from very close range misses to the right following a corner. 90:00 +2:45 Corner, Everton. Conceded by Ondrej Celustka. 90:00 +2:42 Attempt blocked. Romelu Lukaku (Everton) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Sylvain Distin with a headed pass. 90:00 +2:09 Corner, Everton. Conceded by Sebastian Larsson. 89:53 Foul by Nikica Jelavic (Everton). 89:53 Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 89:52 Attempt blocked. Nikica Jelavic (Everton) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. 89:50 Attempt blocked. Gareth Barry (Everton) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by James McCarthy with a cross. 88:27 Attempt missed. Seamus Coleman (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by James McCarthy. 87:55 Corner, Everton. Conceded by Phillip Bardsley. 86:08 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Jozy Altidore replaces Steven Fletcher. 85:33 Foul by James McCarthy (Everton). 85:33 Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the left wing. 84:08 Corner, Everton. Conceded by Fabio Borini. 84:07 Attempt blocked. Nikica Jelavic (Everton) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. 83:46 Corner, Everton. Conceded by Vito Mannone. 83:43 Attempt saved. Ross Barkley (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. 82:42 Nikica Jelavic (Everton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
82:42 Foul by Valentin Roberge (Sunderland). 81:33 Attempt missed. Ross Barkley (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Nikica Jelavic. 81:02 Attempt saved. Gareth Barry (Everton) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. 80:59 Attempt blocked. Ross Barkley (Everton) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by James McCarthy. 79:53 Delay over. They are ready to continue. 78:59 Delay in match Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) because of an injury. 78:08 Bryan Oviedo (Everton) wins a free kick on the left wing. 78:08 Foul by Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland). 77:14 Attempt missed. Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Emanuele Giaccherini with a through ball. 75:23 Attempt missed. Phil Jagielka (Everton) header from the right side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Ross Barkley with a cross following a corner. 75:12 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Everton. Nikica Jelavic replaces Steven Pienaar. 74:44 Corner, Everton. Conceded by Vito Mannone. 74:43 Attempt saved. Bryan Oviedo (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Sylvain Distin. 73:53 Attempt missed. Ross Barkley (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by James McCarthy. 72:01 Offside, Sunderland. Vito Mannone tries a through ball, but Steven Fletcher is caught offside. 71:44 Attempt saved. Romelu Lukaku (Everton) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Gareth Barry. 69:14 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Emanuele Giaccherini replaces Jack Colback. 67:46 Foul by Sylvain Distin (Everton). 67:46 Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 66:58 Attempt missed. Ross Barkley (Everton) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by James McCarthy. 65:45 Attempt saved. Ross Barkley (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by James McCarthy. 64:23 Attempt missed. Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Ki Sung-Yueng. 63:22 Offside, Everton. Sylvain Distin tries a through ball, but Romelu Lukaku is caught offside. 63:01 Attempt saved. Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ki Sung-Yueng. 60:37 Attempt missed. Ross Barkley (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Steven Pienaar. 57:32 Attempt missed. Romelu Lukaku (Everton) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. 57:00 Attempt missed. Bryan Oviedo (Everton) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right following a corner. 56:39 Corner, Everton. Conceded by Ondrej Celustka. 55:00 Attempt saved. Romelu Lukaku (Everton) left footed shot from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal. 54:59 Attempt saved. Phil Jagielka (Everton) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Bryan Oviedo with a cross. 54:36 Corner, Everton. Conceded by Ondrej Celustka. 54:25 Attempt blocked. Ross Barkley (Everton) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Gareth Barry. 53:04 Corner, Everton. Conceded by Lee Cattermole. 52:05 Corner, Everton. Conceded by Fabio Borini. 49:08 Foul by Romelu Lukaku (Everton). 49:08 Valentin Roberge (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 47:07 Attempt saved. Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lee Cattermole with a cross. 46:21 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Gareth Barry. 46:20 Attempt blocked. Modibo Diakité (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ondrej Celustka. 45:38 Foul by Seamus Coleman (Everton). 45:38 Fabio Borini (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 45:00
Second Half begins Everton 0, Sunderland 1. 45:00 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Everton. Ross Barkley replaces Kevin Mirallas because of an injury.
Read a full match report of the Premier League game between Everton and Sunderland at Goodison Park on Thursday Dec 26, 2013.
The sequence of events illustrated one of those classic football surprises: a complacent home team, a defensive error and a red card.
Everton surrendered the lead and Sunderland , thanks mainly to goalkeeper Vito Mannone, held on. And with that, the shock was complete.
Everton’s unbeaten home run in 2013 ended just four days short of a full calendar year as the visitors, who remain bottom, secured three points away from the Stadium of Light for the first time this season.
The game for the home team unravelled in the 24th minute when Tim Howard rolled his goal-kick - just as he is instructed to by Roberto Martínez, the Everton manager – to the midfielder sitting on the edge of the box, on this occasion Leon Osman.
With his back to everyone else on the pitch, Osman must not have seen Ki Sung-Yueng lurking behind. Osman trod on the ball and Ki seized possession before rounding Howard, who felled him with the swipe of a right leg.
A red card was inevitable and Howard’s place was taken by Joel Robles, Osman being subsitituted to make his miserable day complete. The sub goalkeeper could do little to prevent Ki from slamming Sunderland into the lead from the spot.
Martínez defended those responsible, pointing out that both Howard and Osman have won Everton points this season. He admitted, though, that the pair got this moment horribly wrong.
“We usually have strong concepts of when a pass is on,” he said, adding that Everton had not underestimated Sunderland, despite the visitors’ sluggish start to the game.
“Sometimes it takes a little bit of time to get momentum. Sunderland were well organised and had a good solid structure behind ball. I thought we made a bad decision which cost us a sending off and a goal and changed the game completely.
I thought we deserved an equaliser and if we’d got that we would probably have gone on to win the game. Doesn’t matter that the goalkeeper had an outstanding afternoon, we should have got a goal or two.”
Sunderland ran around like they could not believe their fortune. Perhaps it was understandable as their only points on the road this season had come from three draws.
Gus Poyet’s team enjoyed plenty of possession in Everton’s half but too often their players appeared scared to shoot, with Ki, Steven Fletcher and Fabio Borini guilty of the most ponderous moments.
They came closest to extending their lead when Robles parried Ondrej Celutska’s shot before saving Sebastian Larsson’s rebound.
Gareth Barry was booked, meaning he will miss their fixture at home to Southampton on Sunday.
The home side’s frustration was summed up by the four-minute spell when they were reduced to nine men as Kevin Mirallas disappeared for a toilet break. James McCarthy, outnumbered in midfield, waved his hands at Martínez as he asked about Mirallas’s whereabouts. Martínez later revealed that the Belgian was suffering from a stomach bug, which led to him being replaced for the second half by Ross Barkley.
A match-winner at Swansea in Everton’s previous game, Barkley had been rested here but his arrival helped the Goodison faithful find their voice, but only after Sunderland could have gone 2-0 ahead when Modibo Diakite heaved Sebastian Larsson’s free-kick over the crossbar after a couple of touches from defensive partner, Valentin Roberge.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Everton created chances. They had plenty of shots, but nearly all were from distance.
Twice, Mannone saved spectacularly with his left hand, first from Oviedo and then Barkley. With a few minutes remaining, he was beaten by Nikica Jelavic’s header but this time Borini cleared off the line.
Sunderland have now beaten Newcastle United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Everton this season and Poyet insisted the difference here was “concentration and belief”.
He said: “We cannot blame anyone but ourselves, because we have had chances to beat those around us but always we do something wrong, whether it’s a mistake, someone sent off or whatever.”
Premier League - Matchpack: Cardiff City v Sunderland
Team news, manager quotes and match facts ahead of the Premier League clash between Cardiff City and Sunderland at the Cardiff City Stadium.
TEAM NEWS
Cardiff have no new injury concerns. Gary Medel missed the defeat to Southampton due to flu but could be fit enough to feature against the Black Cats, while Andreas Cornelius and Declan John could start after coming off the bench on Boxing Day. But Craig Bellamy will miss out again due to his ongoing knee injury.
Sunderland will again be without Wes Brown, while it remains to be seen whether or not his fellow defender John O'Shea is able to feature. The pair missed the 1-0 Boxing Day win at Everton, with Brown starting a three-match suspension and O'Shea having been nursing a shoulder problem. Definitely still ruled out through injury are goalkeeper Keiren Westwood (shoulder) and yet another defender, Carlos Cuellar (hip).
MANAGER QUOTES
Cardiff: N/A
Gus Poyet: "People keep forgetting we are unbeaten in four games - we're playing well. It's up to us to keep that belief going. The whole squad has to pull together - two games in three days is tough. We have quality players to call upon like Jozy Altidore and Adam Johnson who were on the bench, but we face a difficult match. They are fighting for their lives, but we need to make sure we're ready and perform to the best of our ability. We need to make it difficult for them on Saturday."
MATCH FACTS
Cardiff have not met Sunderland in the top-flight since 1956/57, when they won one and drew one of two meetings.
Sunderland have won their last two trips to Cardiff in the league without conceding.
Sunderland have won only one of their 12 final games of the year in the Premier League (3-1 v Bolton in 2007)
Sunderland have kept three successive clean sheets in the Premier League – the longest run seen in the PL this season is Southampton’s four in a row (Sept-Oct).
Vito Mannone has kept five clean sheets in eight Premier League starts this season for Sunderland.
Cardiff City have lost two successive Premier League games, they have not lost three league games in succession since November 2009.
Despite playing 18 games fewer in 2013 than Sunderland (36), Cardiff have won just three games fewer in the Premier League this calendar year (4) than their opponents (7).
David Marshall (70) has made more saves than any other goalkeeper in the Premier League this season.
Sunderland have lost more points from leading positions than any other side this season (11) in the Premier League.
Cardiff have only been in the lead on five occasions in the Premier League this season – no side have led less frequently (Villa also five).
MATCH ODDS Cardiff City (11/8) Draw (12/5) Sunderland (12/5)
Malky Mackay expresses regret after being sacked by Cardiff
Malky Mackay is leaving Cardiff City with his 'head held high' after expressing his 'deepest and most sincere regret' after being sacked as manager.
The Scot's future at the Cardiff City Stadium has been under scrutiny of late and last week he received an email from owner Vincent Tan telling him to resign or be sacked.
He remained in charge for the defeats by Liverpool and Southampton, and was scheduled to meet Tan on Saturday, when Cardiff face fellow Premier League strugglers Sunderland at home.
However, Cardiff released a statement on Friday confirming that Mackay has been axed and the 41-year-old issued his response via Sky Sports News.
"It is with the deepest and most sincere regret that I today confirm my sacking as manager of Cardiff City FC," Mackay said.
"As disappointing as today's decision is, I am already able to look back at my time at Cardiff City FC with immense pride and joy given the number of milestones the club achieved during the last two-and-half years.
"A League Cup Final appearance followed by promotion to the Premiership for the very first time, achieved as winners of the Championship, allowed the club a move back to this elite level after a 51-year absence.
"I have enjoyed my time immensely at this fine club, in this great city, and throughout I've always attempted to put my own personal stamp on specific areas that I believe to be all-important such as the implementation of a progressive culture as well as a complete professional approach to all aspects of day-to-day management that are required if you are to become a top club - and more importantly to remain as one.
"I would like to thank my players, all of my direct footballing staff, all the people behind the scenes at the club and most importantly the people of Cardiff, who have stood behind me resolutely throughout my time here and especially in these recent turbulent months.
"I leave with my head held high having gained a level of experience that, upon reflection, I suspect would have been difficult to find anywhere else in British football.
"The foundations laid at Cardiff City FC will provide a solid platform for my successor, and for the sake of the club, I hope that all of the progress that has been made so far will not be impaired in any way by today's enforced changes."
Mackay was appointed Cardiff boss in June 2011 and, having guided the team to the Championship title last year, leaves after 125 games in charge with a win rate of 43%.
A group of around 200 Cardiff fans protested against Tan before the home game against Southampton on Boxing Day, and the club's owner released a statement following Mackay's sacking.
Tan said: "There has been a good deal of publicity generated by and about Mr Malky Mackay over the last few months.
"Indeed far too much dirty linen has been exposed to the public gaze. But, I stress, not by me. Indeed, I have deliberately not responded to this, hoping that the club can be judged on its football rather than personalised arguments about who said what to whom.
"I have, however, regretfully concluded that it is no longer fair to the club, its players, its fans, or the public more generally, for this uncomfortable state of affairs to continue. Cardiff City Football Club means far too much to us all for it to be distracted by this."
The League Managers' Association also responded to Mackay's sacking.
Chief executive Richard Bevan said: "We are all very disappointed for Malky and the club. We must recognise that in over two years as manager, he has set very significant club records including guiding Cardiff to their first ever League Cup final.
"Also leading the club to promotion to the Barclays Premier League for the very first time, notably this ended their 51-year absence from the top flight and duly he was named the Championship Manager of the Year.
"Malky has an excellent record of success with the club and he should be commended with the manner in which he has conducted himself with such integrity during what, for him, has been an extremely difficult period."
"It is with the deepest and most sincere regret that I today confirm my sacking as manager of Cardiff City FC. I leave with my head held high having gained a level of experience that, upon reflection, I suspect would have been difficult to find anywhere else in British football."
Malky Mackay
Smith and Tom Robson on target in win in the Potteries.
Stoke City U18 0 Sunderland U18 2
Sunderland followed up their midweek victory at high-flying Everton with a 2-0 win at Stoke City.
Martin Smith and Tom Robson bagged the goals for the young Black Cats, who won their fifth consecutive game in all competitions.
Sunderland started well and took the lead in the 18th minute as good link-up play set American striker Lynden Gooch on his way before he set the ball off cleverly to Smith, who smashed into the roof of the net from the edge of the area.
The young Black Cats had further chances in the first half with both Gooch and Luke Molyneux firing efforts just wide.
An early second-half goal all but secured the points as Robson burst into the area and neatly slotted the ball under the keeper to finish a fine move.
Stoke went more direct in the closing stages but the youngsters weathered the storm and could have increased the lead further late on.
Solid defending and a couple of fine saves from Peter Burke ensured the young Black Cats travelled back to Wearside with all three points.
Coach Carlton Fairweather said: “It was a really good display and another fine win for us.”
Sunderland: Burke, Ledger, T Robson, Smith, Colquhoun, Beadling, Greenwood (J Robson, 84), E Robson, Molyneux (McEvoy, 65), Gooch, Stinson.
Darlington Vs Sunderland [Match abandoned 35 minutes] (18/12/2013)
Highlights from the friendly between Darlington and Sunderland played on December 18th, 2013. Quakers were 1-0 ahead thanks to Amar Purewal but the heavy rain led to the game being stopped shortly afterwards.
Cardiff v Sunderland (1730 GMT UK)
Cardiff caretaker duo David Kerslake and Joe McBride make three changes from Malky Mackay's final game in charge, the 3-0 home defeat by Southampton. Declan John, Gary Medel and Kim Bo-Kyung come in for Andrew Taylor, Aron Gunnarsson and Peter Odemwingie.
Sunderland also make three changes after beating Everton 1-0. Andrea Dossena replaces Ondrej Celustka at the back, while Emanuele Giaccherini comes in for Jack Colback in midfield and up front it's Jozy Altidore for Steven Fletcher.
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Sunderland eye Marcos Alonso loan but more spending unlikely
Sunderland are close to signing former Bolton defender Marcos Alonso on loan from Fiorentina but boss Gus Poyet is unlikely to get more funds in January.
It is understood owner Ellis Short is unwilling to invest in the team, meaning Poyet will have to sell before he can buy in the transfer window.
Poyet will otherwise have to continue with the club's transfer policy of signing free agents or players on loan.
Spaniard Alonso, 22, left Bolton for Italian outfit Fiorentina in May 2013.
Eight of the 14 players who arrived at the Stadium of Light in the summer were either season-long loan deals or free transfers.
While Poyet is only looking to make temporary additions, relegation rivals including West Ham and Crystal Palace are expected to be busy, with funds being made available to Sam Allardyce and Tony Pulis respectively.
While Sunderland are currently bottom of the Premier League, they boosted their survival hopes with a 1-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park on Boxing Day.
The omens for the Black Cats do not look good, though.
Only West Brom, in the 2004-05 season, avoided relegation after being bottom of the Premier League table at Christmas.
DID YOU KNOW?
Marcos Alonso made only one senior appearance for Real Madrid - as an 89th-minute substitute for Gonzalo Higuain in a 2-0 win over Racing Santander in April 2010
45:00 +0:59 Half time
Half Time
First Half ends, Cardiff City 1, Sunderland 0. 45:00 +0:58 Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Modibo Diakité. 44:28 Fraizer Campbell (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 44:28 Foul by Modibo Diakité (Sunderland). 43:38 Foul by Craig Noone (Cardiff City). 43:38 Andrea Dossena (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 41:29 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by David Marshall. 41:26 Attempt saved. Fabio Borini (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Phillip Bardsley with a cross. 40:21 Attempt missed. Craig Noone (Cardiff City) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. 37:57 Kévin Théophile-Catherine (Cardiff City) wins a free kick on the right wing. 37:57 Foul by Ki Sung-Yueng (Sunderland). 36:59 Foul by Kim Bo-Kyung (Cardiff City). 36:59 Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the right wing. 34:42 Attempt saved. Fabio Borini (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Emanuele Giaccherini. 31:59 Attempt blocked. Fabio Borini (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Andrea Dossena with a cross. 30:53 Attempt missed. Jozy Altidore (Sunderland) right footed shot from very close range is close, but misses to the right. 30:52 Attempt saved. Ki Sung-Yueng (Sunderland) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Sebastian Larsson. 30:23 Attempt blocked. Declan John (Cardiff City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. 29:42 Attempt saved. Craig Noone (Cardiff City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Kim Bo-Kyung. 27:38 Attempt missed. Fraizer Campbell (Cardiff City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Jordon Mutch with a cross. 24:31 Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Vito Mannone. 24:28 Attempt saved. Peter Whittingham (Cardiff City) left footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right is saved in the bottom right corner. 23:47 Fraizer Campbell (Cardiff City) wins a free kick on the right wing. 23:47 Foul by Valentin Roberge (Sunderland). 21:15 Attempt saved. Steven Caulker (Cardiff City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Craig Noone with a cross. 20:32 Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Andrea Dossena. 19:21 Attempt blocked. Lee Cattermole (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ki Sung-Yueng. 18:08 Booking
Booking
Lee Cattermole (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. 18:02 Jordon Mutch (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 18:02 Foul by Lee Cattermole (Sunderland). 17:08 Foul by Fraizer Campbell (Cardiff City). 17:08 Valentin Roberge (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 16:28 Offside, Sunderland. Sebastian Larsson tries a through ball, but Jozy Altidore is caught offside. 15:09 Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Phillip Bardsley. 14:14 Foul by Ben Turner (Cardiff City). 14:14 Modibo Diakité (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 12:26 Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Vito Mannone. 12:25 Attempt saved. Kim Bo-Kyung (Cardiff City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Craig Noone. 5:26 Goal scored
Goal!
Goal! Cardiff City 1, Sunderland 0. Jordon Mutch (Cardiff City) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Fraizer Campbell. 3:19 Attempt missed. Jordon Mutch (Cardiff City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Craig Noone with a cross. 2:15 Attempt missed. Steven Caulker (Cardiff City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Peter Whittingham with a cross following a set piece situation. 1:43 Foul by Valentin Roberge (Sunderland). 1:43 Craig Noone (Cardiff City) wins a free kick on the right wing. 0:53 Booking
Booking
Jordon Mutch (Cardiff City) is shown the yellow card. 0:47 Jordon Mutch (Cardiff City) has gone down, but that's a dive. 0:00
First Half begins. 0:00 Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Full Time
Match ends, Cardiff City 2, Sunderland 2. 90:00 +6:04 Full time
Full Time
Second Half ends, Cardiff City 2, Sunderland 2. 90:00 +4:48 Goal scored
Goal!
Goal! Cardiff City 2, Sunderland 2. Jack Colback (Sunderland) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Valentin Roberge. 90:00 +4:28 Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 90:00 +4:28 Foul by Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff City). 90:00 +3:46 Attempt missed. Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. 90:00 +3:42 Attempt blocked. Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jozy Altidore. 90:00 +0:50 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by David Marshall. 90:00 +0:49 Attempt saved. Valentin Roberge (Sunderland) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. 88:55 Attempt saved. Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Craig Gardner with a cross. 87:36 Attempt missed. Jack Colback (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. 86:22 Attempt missed. Craig Gardner (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Jack Colback. 85:40 Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the right wing. 85:40 Foul by Peter Whittingham (Cardiff City). 84:10 Foul by Jack Colback (Sunderland). 84:10 Andreas Cornelius (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 84:07 Attempt blocked. Jack Colback (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. 83:32 Jozy Altidore (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the right wing. 83:32 Foul by Gary Medel (Cardiff City). 82:10 Goal scored
Goal!
Goal! Cardiff City 2, Sunderland 1. Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) left footed shot from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Emanuele Giaccherini with a cross.
81:39 Attempt missed. Steven Caulker (Cardiff City) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Ben Turner. 81:12 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Cardiff City. Andreas Cornelius replaces Fraizer Campbell. 80:08 Foul by Valentin Roberge (Sunderland). 80:08 Fraizer Campbell (Cardiff City) wins a free kick on the right wing. 78:41 Attempt missed. Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Jozy Altidore. 78:28 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Cardiff City. Aron Gunnarsson replaces Kim Bo-Kyung. 75:53 Modibo Diakité (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 75:53 Foul by Jordon Mutch (Cardiff City). 74:12 Jack Colback (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the left wing. 74:12 Foul by Kim Bo-Kyung (Cardiff City). 73:22 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Craig Gardner replaces Sebastian Larsson. 73:18 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Jack Colback replaces Lee Cattermole. 72:50 Attempt missed. Ben Turner (Cardiff City) header from the left side of the six yard box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Peter Whittingham with a cross following a corner. 72:12 Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Phillip Bardsley. 72:07 Attempt blocked. Fraizer Campbell (Cardiff City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jordon Mutch. 71:07 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Cardiff City. Don Cowie replaces Craig Noone. 68:52 Attempt saved. Jozy Altidore (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Emanuele Giaccherini. 67:06 Booking
Booking
Fraizer Campbell (Cardiff City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. 66:53 Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 66:53 Foul by Fraizer Campbell (Cardiff City). 65:25 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Ben Turner. 65:22 Attempt blocked. Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Andrea Dossena. 64:05 Attempt saved. Ki Sung-Yueng (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. 63:35 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Kévin Théophile-Catherine. 62:21 Attempt missed. Lee Cattermole (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Sebastian Larsson with a cross following a corner. 61:50 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Ben Turner. 61:48 Attempt blocked. Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) header from the right side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Sebastian Larsson with a cross. 61:11 Foul by Gary Medel (Cardiff City). 61:11 Jozy Altidore (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the left wing. 60:20 Attempt saved. Jordon Mutch (Cardiff City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. 59:35 Booking
Booking
Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. 59:32 Fraizer Campbell (Cardiff City) wins a free kick on the left wing. 59:32 Foul by Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland). 58:45 Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Ben Turner. 57:50 Booking
Booking
Kim Bo-Kyung (Cardiff City) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration. 57:16 Goal scored
Goal!
Goal! Cardiff City 2, Sunderland 0. Fraizer Campbell (Cardiff City) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jordon Mutch with a cross. 55:09 Declan John (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 55:09 Foul by Steven Fletcher (Sunderland). 52:58 Foul by Kim Bo-Kyung (Cardiff City). 52:58 Ki Sung-Yueng (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 50:54 Foul by Kim Bo-Kyung (Cardiff City). 50:54 Lee Cattermole (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 49:25 Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Modibo Diakité. 48:18 Attempt missed. Jordon Mutch (Cardiff City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Declan John with a cross. 47:15 Kim Bo-Kyung (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 47:15 Foul by Andrea Dossena (Sunderland). 45:26 Offside, Sunderland. Steven Fletcher tries a through ball, but Emanuele Giaccherini is caught offside. 45:00
Second Half begins Cardiff City 1, Sunderland 0. 45:00 Substitution
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Steven Fletcher replaces Fabio Borini because of an injury.
Sunderland scored two late goals to rescue a point against Cardiff City in the first match since the Bluebirds sacked Malky Mackay.
The hosts dominated and were in control after Jordon Mutch's shot was deflected in off Modibo Diakite and Fraizer Campbell fired home from 12 yards out.
But substitute Steven Fletcher set up a tense finale from close range.
And in the last minute of injury time, Jack Colback's shot deflected off Steven Caulker and into the net.
Full report to follow.
Sunderland striker Fabio Borini is taken to hospital after falling ill at Cardiff City Stadium
Sunderland striker Fabio Borini was taken to hospital after taking ill during the Premier League match with Cardiff City.
The 22-year-old was conscious when he left the Cardiff City Stadium, but was on a drip.
Sunderland have confirmed they will make a statement regarding the player, who is on loan from Liverpool, after the match.
More to follow ...
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Sunderland's Borini 'taken to hospital after collapse'
Sunderland striker Fabio Borini has reportedly been taken to hospital after collapsing at half-time of the Premier League match at Cardiff City.
The on-loan Liverpool player was reported to have collapsed in the dressing room at the break and was immediately taken to hospital.
Various media outlets said the player was initially unconscious before coming around after treatment, but there was no official word from Sunderland, who are expected to comment after the match.
Italy forward Borini, 22, seemed on form in the first half, having a few efforts well saved by David Marshall in the Cardiff goal.
Borini came through the ranks at Chelsea before helping Swansea to promotion from the Championship in 2011. His form led to a transfer to Roma, who sold the player to Liverpool the following summer.
He has made 16 appearances for the Black Cats this season, scoring twice.
Sunderland's Fabio Borini released from hospital after feeling ill
Sunderland striker Fabio Borini has been released from hospital after falling ill during his team's 2-2 draw at Cardiff City.
The Italian, 22, was replaced by Steven Fletcher at the beginning of the second half and was taken to hospital after being "really, really sick".
"He was sick before the game but wanted to play, but at half-time it was too much," Poyet said.
After the game Poyet revealed Borini was "feeling better".
"The doctor called me," Poyet said. "He is not going to fly back with us, he will stay down here overnight, but he has been released from hospital.
"Luckily it is nothing serious.
"We were really, really worried so the doctor decided rightly to take him to hospital.
"But he has been released now. It was a virus or sickness, so no problems."
Borini, on loan from Liverpool, had Sunderland's best two chances of a poor first period.
His side improved after the break and ended up drawing 2-2 thanks to two late goals, including one by Fletcher.
Poyet praised the attitude of his players to come back into the game, with Fletcher's 87th-minute strike followed by Jack Colback's injury-time equaliser.
"The character was there all the time," he said.
"In the last 20 minutes I could see a goal coming. Everything changes with a goal - it looks like you have more players. In the end we deserved a draw."
The Uruguayan said he was disappointed by his side's slow start in the Welsh capital.
"I didn't expect it. It took us 25-30 minutes to get going. You cannot lose that time in a game. Luckily today, it was only 1-0. The game looked difficult for us.
"Credit to the players. Cardiff couldn't leave their half and paid the price. There is something going on when you're 2-0 up - it changes your attitude."
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Sunderland eye Marcos Alonso loan but more spending unlikely
Sunderland are close to signing former Bolton defender Marcos Alonso on loan from Fiorentina but boss Gus Poyet is unlikely to get more funds in January.
It is understood owner Ellis Short is unwilling to invest in the team, meaning Poyet will have to sell before he can buy in the transfer window.
Poyet will otherwise have to continue with the club's transfer policy of signing free agents or players on loan.
DID YOU KNOW?
Marcos Alonso made only one senior appearance for Real Madrid - as an 89th-minute substitute for Gonzalo Higuain in a 2-0 win over Racing Santander in April 2010
Eight of the 14 players who arrived at the Stadium of Light in the summer were either season-long loan deals or free transfers.
While Poyet is only looking to make temporary additions, relegation rivals including West Ham and Crystal Palace are expected to be busy, with funds being made available to Sam Allardyce and Tony Pulis respectively.
While Sunderland are currently bottom of the Premier League, they boosted their survival hopes with a 1-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park on Boxing Day.
The omens for the Black Cats do not look good, though.
Only West Brom, in the 2004-05 season, avoided relegation after being bottom of the Premier League table at Christmas.