EPL: Sunderland escapes relegation

Sunderland completed their great escape and
secured their Premier League safety with a
2-0 win over West Brom, leaving Norwich on
the cusp of relegation.
Jack Colback slotted home Marcus Alonso's
low cross in the first half to send the Black
Cats on their way, before a sublime effort from
Fabio Borini rounded off the scoring.
It turned out to be a comfortable evening for
the home side, as they recorded four straight
Premier League victories for the first time
since 2000 in front of a bumper crowd of over
45,000.
A run of three straight wins prior to the match
- including memorable triumphs over Chelsea
and Manchester United - left the Black Cats
needing a victory to complete a seemingly
unlikely revival from the foot of the table; a
position they occupied as late as a fortnight
ago.
The home side burst out of the blocks early on
and could have been ahead in the eighth
minute, when Borini's 20-yard piledriver stung
the hands of Baggies keeper Ben Foster, who
did well to keep it out.
Just six minutes later their early dominance
paid off, however, when Alonso found space
down the right to cross to Colback, who
applied the calm finish to send the Stadium of
Light into raptures.
Lee Cattermole was in sparkling form for the
hosts, and he opened up the Baggies defence
not for the first time just after 20 minutes, but
Adam Johnson could not quite capitalise on
the space.
Sunderland's in-form hero Connor Wickham
then came to the fore, first forcing a corner
from Alonso's deep cross then skying an effort
when well placed after Colback's lay-off.
But again, West Brom failed to heed the
warning signs, and were 2-0 down just
moments later after an excellently-worked
Sunderland goal.
Borini received the ball some 30 yards out,
and played a simple pass to Larsson.
Larsson's deft lobbed pass then fell perfectly
into the stride of the Italian's continued run,
and the Liverpool loanee thrashed the ball
home past Foster.
Just before the first half came to a close the
visitors had their first real sniff at goal, but
Vito Mannone was alert enough to keep out
Saido Berahino's curling effort.
Baggies boss Pepe Mel saw fit to change his
side around after their insipid first-half
showing, bringing on Craig Dawson and
Youssouf Mulumbu to shore up a waning
midfield.
It nearly paid dividends early on, as Dawson's
well-placed cross nearly gave Victor Anichebe
the chance to halve the deficit, but the striker
couldn't quite reach the delivery.
Ten minutes into the second half it was
Dawson again who was at the core of West
Brom's attacking play, hitting in a low cross
that again Anichebe failed to convert.
Just after the hour mark West Brom nearly
found their equaliser, after the lively Stephane
Sessegnon wriggled into space in the area
before dragging his shot wide of the post.
Sunderland remained in control, however, and
on 64 minutes they should have been 3-0 up
when Borini and Colback combined excellently
to find substitute Jozy Altidore at the back
post, but the American managed to miss the
open goal.
Five minutes later it was Borini again at the
heart of things, receiving the ball with his back
to goal before turning rapidly and playing in a
bursting Santiago Vergini, but the defender's
effort was dragged just wide.
The chances dried up as the game wore on,
but Italian Mannone was made to earn his
clean sheet in the final few minutes, first
saving from Chris Brunt's cross and then
Morrison's powerful effort.
Sunderland comfortably held on however,
becoming the second side - after tonight's
opponents - to escape relegation having been
bottom on Christmas Day.