SAM ALLARDYCE will be confirmed as the next England manager within the next 24 hours and Sunderland chiefs are urging the Football Association to make sure they wrap the situation up once and for all.

The situation became farcical at Victoria Park when Allardyce left the ground 20 minutes before the end of the Black Cats’ 3-0 victory over neighbours Hartlepool United.

To see a gallery from the game click here

That had followed a day when it emerged Allardyce has been offered the England job by the FA’s three-man selection panel, although there was no confirmation ahead of Sunderland’s friendly at Pools.

Sunderland are now understood to be pursuing David Moyes, the former Manchester United and Everton boss, as his replacement.

Allardyce’s final game in charge of Sunderland ended in a comfortable victory, with two-goal Jermain Defoe doing his best to remind his boss that he should be considered for an international recall in September.

A strongly worded statement issued by Sunderland immediately after the game read: “Naturally we are aware of the intense media speculation this evening, however, at the present time Sam Allardyce remains Sunderland manager.

“We share in the anger and frustration of our supporters and would like to assure them that we are working to conclude the matter in the best interests of Sunderland AFC.”

The football was almost a sideshow, where the national media had all turned their attentions to the Sunderland manager who is on the verge of landing the job he has craved since first stepping into management.

After talking to Steve Bruce, Jurgen Klinsmann and Eddie Howe about the vacancy, the Football Association’s three-man selection panel have made up their mind that the man they spoke to first is the man they want to lead them to the next World Cup.

It was ten days ago when Allardyce met with FA vice-chairman David Gill, technical director Dan Ashworth and chief executive Martin Glenn to put his case forward for succeeding Hodgson after leaving Sunderland’s training camp in Austria early.

Glenn hinted that the FA are ready to make a decision. He said: “Everyone we’ve spoken to about the job is massively enthusiastic about the prospects for England.

“We want someone to do a great job for the England national team but as well make sure all the development teams are laddering up to something more effective.

“It’s only been three weeks since the hunt started . . . we’re making good progress and we’re clear about what we’re looking for. We’re pretty encouraged about what we’ve seen.

“It’s the manager of the England national team, we’ve got to get that right and got to make sure we’ve covered all various alternatives as best we can. I can’t be specific on timetable, we just want the right choice.”

While Sunderland owner Ellis Short and the club’s fans have become disgruntled with the length of time and uncertainty the situation has brought to pre-season preparations, there now appears to be at least an end in sight for everyone to move on.

Short has been drawing up his own list of contenders to replace Allardyce over the last week or so and former Everton boss Moyes is the leading contender; there are even thought to have been tentative discussions to determine if he is interested.

Sunderland are yet to sign a single player since the end of last season and the last few weeks of uncertainty surrounding Allardyce’s position – who has been in England’s thinking since Hodgson’s decision to step down – have not helped.

Sunderland’s first team players are at least going about their business professionally, as was shown at Hartlepool. Sunderland won comfortably courtesy of Defoe, who only took seven minutes to put them in front.

Allardyce remained in his seat throughout the first half as Defoe made the most of some hesitancy from Pools’ summer signing Toto Nsiala, the former Grimsby man, by nipping in behind him and applying the deadly finish beyond Trevor Carson in the seventh minute.

Defoe also set up Fabio Borini, who found the crossbar, seconds later and then hit the woodwork himself in the 16th minute when the rebound fell to Wahbi Khazri to drill in a low second goal for the visitors.

Then Defoe cleverly added the third in the 21st minute when he cleverly chipped inside former Sunderland keeper Carson’s net after Billy Jones had picked him out.

There were plenty of changes from both teams in the second half and the game took on a different complexion, but Allardyce was nowhere to be seen.

Sunderland, who included former Newcastle winger and trialist Charles N’Zogbia in midfield following his release from Aston Villa, had a couple of further chances, with George Honeyman and Duncan Watmore threatening.

But Hartlepool - who had given outings to summer signings Nsiala, Padraig Amond, Lewis Alessandra and Nicky Deverdics – had the better of the second half against Sunderland’s young guns.

HARTLEPOOL (4-2-3-1): Carson (Bartlett 46); Richards (Magnay 46), Nsiala (Nearney 70), Bates (Harrison 63), Carroll (Green 70); Featherstone (Donnelly 70), Woods (Hawkins 46); Laurent (Thomas 46), Deverdics (Orrell 76), Alessandra (Oates 63); Amond (Paynter 46).

SUNDERLAND first half: Mannone; Jones, Kaboul, Kone, van Aanholt; Cattermole, Rodwell, Lens; Borini, Khazri; Defoe.

SUNDERLAND second half: Pickford; Robson, T Robson, Beadling, Ledger, Honeyman, N'Zogbia, Greenwood, Gooch, Watmore, Maja. Subs (not used): Stryjek (gk)