Shambolic Sunderland revert to type

SUNDERLAND’S derby win over Newcastle already feels like a distant memory after the Black Cats conceded four goals for the second time in the space of three games at the hands of Crystal Palace.

Just six days after the Stadium of Light was rocking as the Black Cats racked up a fifth successive derby win over their greatest rivals, the Wearsiders reverted to type with a calamitous second-half display that saw a Palace side led by former Newcastle boss Alan Pardew run riot as they recorded a comprehensive 4-1 win.

Whereas Sunderland conceded four goals before the break as they were beaten 4-0 by Aston Villa in the game before the derby, this time they fell apart after the interval with all of Palace’s goals coming in a remarkable 14-minute spell in the second half.

Having marginally shaded things during a largely uneventful first 45 minutes, Sunderland conceded the opener three minutes after the interval as Glenn Murray headed home at the back post.

They then proceeded to fall apart completely, with some desperately poor defending enabling Yannick Bolasie to complete a hat-trick.

John O’Shea’s lack of pace and mobility was especially badly exposed, with Bolasie sprinting beyond the Sunderland backline at will to score three goals in the space of just 11 madcap minutes.

The result, which featured a last-minute consolation goal from Connor Wickham, leaves Sunderland three points clear of the drop zone, although that gap will contract to one if Burnley beat Arsenal in the evening kick-off.

 Dick Advocaat made one change to the side that beat Newcastle last weekend, with Jack Rodwell replacing the suspended Seb Larsson in midfield, but any hopes of the Black Cats building up a head of steam after their derby success were dispelled by a bitterly disappointing first half.

Neither goalkeeper was seriously tested during a tepid opening 45 minutes that featured a succession of niggly fouls, but precious little in the way of expressive attacking football.

Sunderland created the first half-chance after five minutes, but Steven Fletcher was unable to hit the target as he met Jordi Gomez’s corner under pressure inside the penalty area.

Rodwell was booked for a foul on James McArthur ten minutes later, and the Black Cats midfielder was slightly fortunate to avoid an even harsher penalty as he slid into his opponent with at least one of his legs raised.

Referee Anthony Taylor showed a degree of leniency as he left the red card in his pocket, but the official’s whistle was a much too frequent feature of the game.

He also booked Scott Dann and Lee Cattermole shortly after, and it was the 37th minute before Sunderland threatened again through a dangerous cross from Billy Jones that would have reached Fletcher had Dann not made an excellent sliding intervention inside the six-yard box.

Patrick van Aanholt cut in from the left-hand side to drill a shot wide of the target shortly after, and Sunderland finally forced Julian Speroni into his first save of the afternoon a minute before the break as Fletcher swivelled in the area to volley van Aanholt’s cross towards goal.  

Palace failed to record a single effort on target before the interval, but that changed three minutes after the break as the visitors claimed the lead.

Bolasie’s right-wing cross deflected off Santiago Vergini, and Murray beat the offside trap to head home his sixth goal in the last six games at the back post.

Suddenly, the game was transformed, and Palace quickly added three more goals in the space of 11 minutes as Sunderland completely imploded.

The lack of pace within the Black Cats back four was badly exposed time and time again, with Bolasie taking full advantage to complete a remarkable hat-trick.

His first goal came courtesy of a long ball out of defence, which Murray flicked on, enabling Bolasie to outpace the Black Cats defence and slot home.

Three minutes later, and Sunderland conceded again. Mile Jedinak floated the ball over the top, John O’Shea was much too slow as he attempted to react, and Bolasie sprinted clear to loft the ball over an advancing Costel Pantilimon.

By this stage, the hosts were in complete disarray, and their misery was compounded as they conceded a fourth goal, which was the most comical of the lot, in the 62nd minute.

Another long ball caused complete chaos in the home side’s back four, with O’Shea displaying a chronic lack of strength and application as he was shrugged aside much too easily by Murray.

The striker rolled the ball inside to Bolasie, and while the Palace forward looked to have wasted his hat-trick opportunity as he attempted to round Pantilimon, he still had time to pretty much pick himself up off the floor and roll the ball into the net.

Sunderland were shell-shocked, but with the vast majority of supporters having left the Stadium of Light, they at least found the back of the net themselves in the final minute.

Van Aanholt made a charging run down the left, and Wickham volleyed home his cross from the heart of the penalty area.

There was still time for Speroni to tip van Aanholt’s 20-yard drive onto the crossbar in stoppage time, but the finishing flourish could do nothing to hide the extent of Sunderland’s capitulation for the second home game in a row.

Sunderland (4-3-3): Pantilimon; Jones, Vergini, O’Shea, van Aanholt; Rodwell, Cattermole (Bridcutt 65), Gomez (Johnson 59); Defoe, Fletcher, Wickham.

Subs (not used): Mannone (gk), Reveillere, Coates, Buckley, Graham.

Crystal Palace (4-2-3-1): Speroni; Ward, Dann, Delaney, Souare (Kelly 34); Jedinak, McArthur; Zaha, Puncheon, Bolasie (Sanogo 70); Murray.

Subs (not used): Hennessey (gk), Hangeland, Ledley, Gayle, Ameobi.