By Marita Phenix

FRESH from their euphoric 3-2 win against Chelsea last weekend, Sunderland's fate rested solely in their hands this week. After battling relegation for most of the season, Saturday's fantastic defeat of last season’s champions gave them the power to relegate both Newcastle and Norwich by the end of Wednesday night. Such pressure could have pushed a team either way, but Sunderland rose to the challenge and made Everton look positively mediocre, beating them 3-0 at the Stadium of Light to remain in the Premier League.

THE magnitude of the evening was felt by every single Sunderland fan. Although confidence was in short supply, beating Chelsea a few days earlier had sparked a real flicker of hope and the realisation that when the lads play their hearts out, they are capable of beating anyone.

FROM manager Sam Allardyce’s point of view, consistency ruled the day, with an unchanged side for the seventh consecutive game. The noise in the stadium was deafening from the outset. There seemed to be less of a ferocious hunger shown by the players, compared to last weekend. However, this was strangely, but pleasantly, replaced by a calm and formidable presence. Sunderland were in charge and they knew it. Tellingly, Everton played like they knew it too. Patrick van Aanholt's beauty of a free kick blew the roof off the stadium, and two unstoppable goals from Lamine Kone left fans giddy with disbelief. A stark contrast to how the team played earlier in the season.

THIS season, Sunderland have struggled with confidence, far too often falling short. A defeatist attitude crept in during their most recent matches against Crystal Palace, West Brom and Leicester. The latter game, in particular, was extremely frustrating – despite a promising first half, the lads just could not capitalise on chances and score. A lack of belief played a huge role, and it was palpable to fans.

SLOWLY, however, the tide began to turn. Allardyce's transfer window signings settled into their new roles and started making a significant difference. Wahbi Khazri, Dame N'Doye, Lamine Kone and Jan Kirchhoff breathed new life into a stagnant side. This, together with a consistency resulting from an injury-free team, began to produce results; in the last two months, Sunderland have only been defeated once (by league champions Leicester).

IT is also impossible to ignore how much of an impact Jermain Defoe has had on Sunderland. At the end of his MLS spell with Toronto, an injured Defoe said that, despite getting older, he felt stronger and more aware of his body. When asked how much longer he could play professional football, he replied: "Eight years. When I'm fit, I feel so sharp." In January 2015, Gus Poyet won the race to secure him. His swap with the hapless Jozy Altidore was a stroke of genius (or luck) by the club and his impact has been felt ever since. Defoe's natural instinct for scoring has been a joy to watch. His quiet passion and maturity has rubbed off on the other players, no doubt inspiring them to give that one last push to escape the drop.

MOVING forward, Sunderland fans are praying that lessons are learned for next season and that we can retain the present squad. Big Sam, unlike Gus Poyet and Dick Advocaat before him, is brutally honest and takes no nonsense. Living in denial and burying his head in the sand is not his style, and the club has benefited from this immensely. Under his guidance, the lads seem to have formed a tight unit and are finally a unified force to be reckoned with. The rollercoaster ride that is being a Black Cats supporter has once again proved worth it. Well done and congratulations on staying up, Sunderland AFC.