Premier League - Sunderland ease past Norwich
Sunderland climbed into the top half of the Premier League table with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Norwich City at the Stadium of Light.
Former Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has imprinted his style upon the team and that was evident from the outset as the hosts pressed the opposition and fed their wide players swiftly and accurately.
Left winger, James McClean, who has been a revelation under O’Neill, set the tone of the game early on as beat his marker and picked out Fraizer Campbell in the box, but the former Manchester United striker was unable to guide his header past John Ruddy.
Sunderland continued to dominate, but were almost punished for switching off when Grant Holt was given time and space to test Simon Mignolet with a first time volley.
However, this didn’t act as the fillip Paul Lambert would have hoped for and as the visitors continued to stutter, Campbell produced a moment of brilliance.
Starting his first Premier League game since August 2010, after 17 months out of the game with a cruciate ligament injury, Campbell picked up a loose ball 25 yards out and sent it soaring over a helpless Ruddy with an exquisite volley.
This goal, his first in the Premier League since April 2010, added to his equaliser against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup on Sunday.
Full of confidence, the goalscorer linked up with Stephane Sessegnon to double the home side’s lead as the half hour mark approached.
Breaking from midfield, Sessegnon swept the ball to Campbell pulling out to the right wing, who returned the pass with a pinpoint cross, which he duly dispatched with an unstoppable header.
The Canaries’ misery continued nine minutes into the second half when a quicksilver attack down the right wing ended with Bardsley’s cross being turned into his own net by Ayala.
Trigger-happy Craig Gardner threatened to add to the scoreline and Steve Morison came close to grabbing a consolation goal with a header, before the referee blew time on an impressive Sunderland display.
Comment 16 - 35 of 35
Sunderland were "soundly beaten by Chelsea and Spurs"?....hahahahaha. Oh well, at least it was an attempt at banter.
Sunderland were the better team and were unlucky not to win at Chelsea. A draw would have been fair at Spurs too - but you can't win them all.
I see the smelly Geordie's still come on here LOL What little boys they are.
Cameron, We got soundly beat of Chelsea and spurs LOL what rubbish that is because we should of draw at spurs and if you watch the second half against Chelsea we rape them you thick geordie prat. we only been lucky against Man city FACT.
Bob r, 13,000 empty seats LOL can't you add up little boy. we can only get 47,000+ in fact & 3,000 tickets go to away fans so we only have 44,000 tickets & we had 34,000 last night so thats 10,000 empty seats. not bad for a cold wednesday night, was on Tv to & it was 25 pound a ticket to. Everton only got 29,000 & Villa only got 32,000 so its not just sunderland you mug & we don't let kids in for free you mug & the only reason you getting close to 50,000 fans is because of the very cheap season tickets you put on lol it only works out as like 5 to 6 pound a game. cheapest tickets in the leageu by far & you had the cheapet ticket with blackburn last season to you pricks. ALL FACTS TO. If you think Sess is leaving then you are a idiot. just wait till you sell all of your players in the summer.
Plus, I always hear from the Geordie's than Ben Arfa is better than Sess LOL DREAM ON GEORDIE'S.
Got my Tickets for the Boro & Mag games & I can't wait to. let's smash them on and off the pitch lads.
SUNDERLAND TILL I DIE.
Cameron......SJP ? Whats that ? Sarah Jessica Parker ? I seem to remember there being a footy "ground" called St James Park up here somewhere at some point but its now called something else cos now its just a giant billboard for its fat, corrupt owner and a place for the "unwashed" to meet once or twice a week so that the civilised folk of Newcastle can walk the streets safely for a couple of hours.
Oh yeah, thats it......SportsDirect Arena. Ha, classic !
Malcolm,
i applaud your optimism but the games are fast running out. I would also like to comment on the quality of the sides you have played in this remarkable run. Now can i remind you all of how you keep saying NUFC have 'played nobody'? You fluked Man City, no question. You got beat soundly by Chelsea & Spurs, no question. 3 decent sides granted. Now let's look at the rest shall we? QPR, Blackburn, Wigan, Norwich, Swansea, Everton - 4 of them at home ffs.
Now unlike you Malcolm i do not have red and white tinted glasses, so i can see that this bollix about 'renaissance' is all a bit misleading. The fixture list has been very kind to both your club and the Messiah. You got a couple of tough ones coming up and i would be surprised if you gather more than a single point. You are all so obsessed about 'catching us', that once again the famous saying of 'Let's all laugh at 5under1and' is ringing around SJP once again. I can just picture all the unwashed rubbing their hands with glee the other night at what they saw as the 'formality' of the gap reduced to 6 points; could be at the weekend like, but then again it might just as easily be 12.
followed Martin since his days at Wycombe.He has something others don't in the way he seems to motivate people Look at where Sunderland were and he has turned it round. I wish he was offered the England job ( politics aside)
although disapointed as a norwich fan , couldnt help but be impressed with had good Sunderland were , what a great team display, they worked very hard and deserved to win ,best team on the night by miles.
Great job O'neil , keep up the work.
Three points on saturday please yellows
I've just seen Shaun stagger out of the same cubicle as J,T, B r and I. He looked absolutely bug**red!!!!!
Colin H, I don't think you should worry about Tony K or Jonny having families of their own, maybe their parents but I don't think they have access to this page in prison. If you are in anyway suggesting Tony K or Jonny have children I think you are deluded, even more deluded than any woman would have to be to bother with those 2 unemployed, cider drinking, benefit scrounging and Jeremy Kyle show low lifes.
paul mc. Come on man, my comment was a belter and I know you'd have had a bigger crowd if the school kids who usually get free tickets hadn't had to go to bed. Have you just started supporting the mackems as I could've sworn Sess was there last season as well? One things for sure he won't be next season!
Another terrific result from a good all-round performance. Yet another contender for goal of the month for young Campbell!!!!!! Decent game from Richardson as well - maybe some competitionfor a place worked for him. Best goal was the second as it was started in his own half by fleet-footed Stephane and finished in style by the same lad - with his head!!!! - all 5ft 6 or whatever- great technique and the best import from the french league this season by a mile!!!! Is it an illusion or is there a bad whiff round here - oh, its jonny, tony, bob r, and ian - they've just emerged together from that toilet cubicle -- pass the domestos!!!!
I've got to say sunderland had a good result last night and Mr Short is to be praised too. His policy of only allowing the ground to be three quarters full (13000 empty seats last night) means plenty of leg space, no queues for the bogs or a pint at half time, etc. I for one am fed up of being jammed in like sardines in 50000+ crowds at SJP and would welcome a mackem like move from our board!
colin h
I agree, and if i catch anyone posting muck i'll be the first to have a go at them.
i continue to be unamazed by the lowlife comments from nufc fans (fans!!! don't make me laugh)on these pages...with no regard at all for decent people reading their muck...particularly children.....the worst thing is i assume that they have families of there own...a great shame....now that is a real fact
Shaun
He certainly does. He has shown a real lack of imagination and wit with that post.
Trust me if he'd been having it away with our lass he'd be the one that's sore, she gets a bit rough at times.
Malc
A good result but Norwich had an off day didn't they?
I agree 9 points is catchable but not for a squad with your limitations. Luck and optimism have improved things for SAFC but O'Neills blarney and blagging have taken you as far as you are going to go. Normal service resumed next week, shyte performance and defeat followed by supporters calling for the leprechauns heed.
uk_northeast_man.. post 11. He takes it up the hoop
well the zebras got their predictions wrong again so very wrong!!! Good strong perfomance after the mediocre game against boro , but cup games as we know are always a different beast to play in. Well taken goals by Campbell and Sessegon and climbing to just three places behind the dark side club cant be bad at all !!!!!! Remember Tony Jonny you caught us last season only to throw it all away so dont write us off totally 9pts is catchable and we have a better goal difference than you !!! Fact
One again King Martin takes a team and turns them around. Keep up the good work Martin.. Hail Hail we still miss you at Celtic. xxx
A fantastic display by the Black Cats, with a brilliant display of our goalscoring prowess!
uk_northeast_man.. post 11. He takes it up the hoop
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