Premier League - Sunderland lose but stay up

Eurosport - Sun, 24 May 19:57:00 2009

Sunderland escaped Premier League relegation despite losing 3-1 to Chelsea at the Stadium of Light as Nicolas Anelka scored his 19th league goal of the season to secure the Golden Boot award.

Nicolas Anelka celebrates scoring for Chelsea against Sunderland, May 2009 - 0

Anelka's stunning 48th minute strike was cancelled out by Kieran Richardson's goal for Sunderland before substitute Salomon Kalou and Ashley Cole both scored to seal the win. Kenwyne Jones then scored a 90th-minute consolation for the Wearsiders.

Sunderland began the day two points and two places above the relegation zone, and their own loss was rendered meaningless due to Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Hull all also losing.

France international Anelka seemingly decided at half-time to go for goal the next time he got the ball, as soon after the break he carried it from deep before unleashing a lethal strike from distance that flew past goalkeeper Marton Fulop into the top corner to move above Cristiano Ronaldo, who did not play against Hull.

Richardson was on hand to equalise from close range five minutes later when Petr Cech failed to deal with a Grant Leadbitter cross, but Kalou put the West London side back in front with a rasping strike of his own when Sunderland could only half-clear a corner kick.

Cole got a rare goal after Fulop raced off his line to block a Florent Malouda shot and the England full-back was well-placed to finish for only his second league goal in a Chelsea shirt.

Jones gave the home fans something to cheer about late on when he found himself unmarked to head in from Andy Reid's cross.

With next week's FA Cup final in mind, Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink dropped Michael Ballack to the bench and Frank Lampard from the squad entirely.

To that end, the match resembled at time little more than a pre-final workout for the West London side.

Despite relegation remaining a mathematical possibility, Sunderland's performance also had that final-day feel about it, with only Steed Malbranque showing the sort of work rate required.

The Wearside crowd had to wait until the final stages of the first half before they saw a goalkeeper really tested. Didier Drogba received the ball with his back to goal and saw his drilled shot on the turn palmed away by Fulop.

Moments later, Malouda blasted a shot that had Fulop beaten but cannoned off the crossbar with the final kick of the half.

Although they watched their side lose their final match - Sunderland have never won on the final day of a Premier League season - the joy on the faces of the home fans was unconfined upon hearing the news that local rivals Newcastle were confirmed as relegated.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport

Comment 1 - 16 of 36

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  1. aye i am a man, and you no f*!k all about football­ mate, i bet your a maggie scum you know for a fine fact­ you have no hope of staying up and at lest our fans­ support our team no matter what, we are true fans­ unlike you black and white b@*****s who will desert­ your team because youve gone and f*!k3d it right up!­ BTW 2-1 KIERON RICHARDSON SPECIAL HAHAHA!!!

    From joanne.henry, on Fri 22 May 4:19PM

  2. SUPER KENWYNE JONES, SUPER KENWYNE JONES, SUPER­ KENWYNE, CARRIBEAN KING HERE THE SUNDERLAND SIBNG,­ SUPER KENWYNE JONES.

    From joanne.henry, on Fri 22 May 3:33PM

  3. sunderland are staying up, bye bye newcastle young,­ carew and agbonlahor too much for your defence,­ middlesborough are doomed anyways no chance what so­ ever west ham pretty strong at home and your just­ terrible all over the place this season, hull wont win­ but it wont matter because sunderland are number one­ north-east team. SUNDERLAND TIL I DIE, IM SUNDERLAND­ TIL I DIE, I KNOW I AM , IM SURE I AM, IM SUNDERLAND­ TIL I DIE.

    From joanne.henry, on Fri 22 May 3:31PM

  4. TONY K "if we beat villa (who arent playing great­ at the moment)" well even though they arn't­ playing great they are playing alot better than u lot­ have for the whole of 2009 a draw at best is all u can­ hope for,we've heard it all before how u would win­ ur last three home matches and be safe ,it didn't­ happen and now ur clutching at straws mate i don't­ want to see u go down but it doesn't look good

    From heslop448, on Fri 22 May 2:40PM

  5. Tony K(nobhead)

    Please do me a favour close season and­ "Die please" you sad lonely turd.

    Premier­ league FACT! Pewcastle will be­ -RELEGATED.............................................­ .................................FACT FACT FACT FACT­ FACT FACT FACT FACT FACT FACT FACT FACT FACT FACT FACT­ FACT FACT.

    From Paul N, on Fri 22 May 12:25PM

  6. cameron now i'm really worried cos u predict­ we're going to be safe,as u say ur predictions­ havn't been great lately so that means we're­ doomed

    From heslop448, on Fri 22 May 8:59AM

  7. Match Fact: Anyone who thinks Sunderland will lose­ this important game is a @#$%. Many examples to choose­ from - just read the comments...

    From Butch Coolidge, on Fri 22 May 3:16AM

  8. i hope anelka gets the golden boot

    From thedeweys, on Thu 21 May 9:02PM

  9. heslop448,
    Hello mate; you're right, safc are gonna­ lose . . that's a given, nay . . . . . it is an­ absolute nailed-on, stone-cold, certainty of a­ banker.
    Will the other 2 pull off the unthinkable­ though, that's the question?
    The one thing i was­ always told as a kid following Newcastle United was­ that if there was one thing you can always predict­ about NUFC, it is their unpredictability. As for hull­ and whoever they get to play (be it kids.reserves­ whatever), well owt can happen there!
    I know my­ predictions are about as much use as Shola Ameobi is as­ a striker, but i reckon the most NUFC will get is a­ draw . . . .so there you go, you're safe! But then­ again, when did i ever get a prediction right Re: NUFC!

    From cameron w, on Thu 21 May 7:12PM

  10. look boys lets make some money out of this i backed­ chelsea at 11/10 on betfair thats a great price and at­ least i'll have a profit to drown my sorrow if it­ all goes t(its)
    up

    From heslop448, on Thu 21 May 6:23PM

  11. Chelsea to win. Anelka to get 2 and the golden boot.­ Lams to get 1 to give him 20 for the 4th year in a row­ - how may strikers have ever done that?
    And not­ forgetting - Newcastle to go down.

    From george, on Thu 21 May 9:13AM

  12. Result: Chelsea 546 Sunderland 0

    From Arcangel, on Wed 20 May 9:51PM

  13. Even if Chelsea beat Sunderland I hope Sunderland stay­ up.Its not all about silverware and the Big 4.

    From Rick Moth, on Wed 20 May 5:40PM

  14. A walk in the park for Guus' last game - can't­ see anything but a comfortable 3-0 win for Chelsea­ here.
    Forget this formality girls; keep your ears up­ close to those radios, it's gonna be a bumpy 90­ minutes following activities from hull and villa, as­ you rely on the results of others to keep you in the­ league.

    From cameron w, on Wed 20 May 4:55PM

  15. chelsea will play a weaker side than usual. can see a­ few young players getting a run out. Im not sure if­ Lampard will get rested though, I hope not and I hope­ Anelka plays to try get the golden boot

    From yip, on Wed 20 May 4:16PM

  16. I dont hold out to much hope for sunderland in this­ game jones is unsure of his future cisse will be off­ after the final whistle.They made the mistake when­ losing to west brom watch this space

    From MICK R, on Wed 20 May 3:43PM
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