Norwich City vs Sunderland. Premier League.
Carrow RoadAttendance27,117.
Saturday 16 April 2016 18:35, UK
Sunderland boosted their Premier League survival hopes with a crucial 3-0 victory over relegation rivals Norwich at Carrow Road.
Trailing the hosts by four points at the start of the day, Sunderland took the lead in the 41st minute when Fabio Borini converted from the spot after being brought down in the penalty area by Andre Wisdom.
Jermain Defoe doubled his side's advantage in the 53rd minute, converting Borini's cross after an error from Sebastien Bassong before Duncan Watmore rounded off the scoring in injury time.
Victory sees 18th-placed Sunderland move to within a point of Norwich in 17th with a game in hand, while the result also sees Aston Villa, who take on Manchester United on Saturday afternoon, avoid relegation for a few hours at least.
With so much at stake at Carrow Road tensions were running high and in just the third minute both benches needed to be separated after DeAndre Yedlin took a nasty-looking tumble into the advertisement boards in front of the away dugout following a push from Robbie Brady.
The incident incensed Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce, who was involved in a shoving match with a few of the Norwich substitutes as both benches needed to be pulled apart.
There was a frantic pace to the game with Norwich, who brought in Sebastien Bassong for the injured Timm Klose, going close through Jonny Howson and Dieumerci Mbokani, but it was Sunderland who created the clearest opening of the first 20 minutes.
Jan Kirchhoff flicked on a deep free-kick into the Norwich box for Borini to run on to, but the striker shot across goal and the ball flashed just past John Ruddy's far post, with Defoe also trying to get a touch.
In an open game, Norwich threatened in the 26th minute as Brady's cross was turned goalwards by Younes Kaboul, but Vito Mannone produced a brilliant reflex stop to keep the scores level. The former Arsenal stopper was called into action again just a minute later, tipping over a powerful 30-yard drive from Martin Olsson.
However, it was the visitors who took the lead in the 41st minute after Wisdom brought down Borini in the box and Andre Marriner had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
The Italian dusted himself down to fire the ball past the dive of Ruddy and into the bottom corner to send Allardyce's men into the break in the lead.
Alex Neil introduced Nathan Redmond for the second-half in place of Brady and the winger nearly made an instant impact, hitting the foot of the post with a well-struck drive from 25 yards.
Minutes later, Sunderland extended their lead after Sebastien Bassong was caught napping on the ball by Kirchhoff, who then released Borini down the right and the Italian's inch-perfect ball across the six-yard box was toe-poked home by Defoe at the far post for his 16th goal of the season.
Norwich threw on Wes Hoolahan in place of Matt Jarvis on the hour-mark as they looked to get back into the game and they should have had a penalty when Kaboul leaned on Mbokani in the box, but the referee waved play on.
The hosts were piling on the pressure and Sunderland needed a last-ditch tackle from Lamine Kone to prevent Mbokani getting a clear shot on goal, before there were more Norwich penalty appeals after another coming together between Kaboul and the Congo striker.
Norwich were throwing everything at the visitors as Mbokani's header came back off the line before Hoolahan's shot was cleared away to safety by Lee Cattermole.
Redmond again tried his luck from distance in the 82nd minute, forcing Mannone into another good save to deny the hosts.
Allardyce threw on John O'Shea for the impressive Kirschoff as Sunderland looked to see out the final few minutes and it was the visitors who extended their lead in stoppage time as Sebastian Larsson picked out fellow substitute Duncan Watmore and the 22-year-old kept his cool to finish calmly past Ruddy at the near post to put the seal on a crucial three points.
Player ratings
Norwich: Ruddy (6), Wisdom (6), Bennett (6), Bassong (5), Olsson (6), Jarvis (5), O'Neil (6), Howson (6), Brady (5), Naismith (6), Mbokani (6).
Subs: Jerome (5), Hoolahan (6), Redmond (7).
Sunderland: Mannone (8), Yedlin (7), Kone (7), Kaboul (7), Van Aanholt (7), Kirchhoff (8), Borini (8), Cattermole (9), M'Vila (7), Khazri (7), Defoe (7).
Subs: Larsson (6), O'Shea (n/a), Watmore (7).
Man of the Match: Lee Cattermole
