Match ends, Crystal Palace 1, Sunderland 3.
Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace1SunderlandSunderland3
- Fletcher scores twice - taking his season's tally to four
- Sunderland win on a Monday for first time since April 2002
- Jedinak sent off for Palace
Steven Fletcher scored twice as Sunderland beat Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park to lift themselves out of the Premier League's relegation zone.
Fletcher gave the Black Cats the lead when he headed home a cross, but Palace drew level when Wes Brown turned the ball into his own net from close range.
Jordi Gomez restored the visitors' lead with a low shot before Palace captain Mile Jedinak was sent off after being shown a second yellow card.
Fletcher then stroked home late on.
The injury-time strike capped a battling performance by Sunderland, who showed real resolve to bounce back from being beaten 8-0 by Southampton in their previous away match.
It also ended their unwelcome record of not having won on a Monday in 20 previous attempts.
They needed some good fortune, with Palace having a strong penalty appeal turned down in the first minute when Santiago Vergini brought down Fraizer Campbell.
But the visitors went in front just after the half-hour mark with the first real chance of the match - Fletcher powering home Patrick van Aanholt's left-wing cross after the full-back was played onside by Brede Hangeland.
Sunderland were given another let-off from the restart as Van Aanholt's clumsy challenge on Wilfried Zaha sent the winger sprawling.
Referee Phil Dowd again turned down loud penalty appeals, with Van Aanholt subsequently leaving the field on a stretcher with a dislocated shoulder.
Sunderland continued to stifle Palace as the hosts struggled to get their wide players into good positions, and when Zaha and Yannick Bolasie did find space, their end product was often disappointing.
The Eagles did pull level, though, as Brown found his own net as he attempted to clear Campbell's backheel into the six-yard box. It was the sixth own goal of Brown's career, compared to the four he has netted at the other end.
But Sunderland continued to dominate in midfield and were rewarded when Gomez hit a left-footed shot across Costel Pantilimon from the edge of the area.
Jedinak's second yellow card - which rules him out of Saturday's match at Manchester United - came for a kick out at Gomez in the centre of the pitch.
And Fletcher sealed victory when he collected Liam Bridcutt's pass and took a touch before slotting home.
Sunderland boss Gus Poyet: "The win means a lot, more than anyone can think. It was a difficult couple of weeks, where it looked like everything we had done earlier in the season was thrown away.
"This result is a confirmation that I knew we were better than the Southampton game. We feel like we are a proper team today.
"I couldn't believe we scored another own goal. Wes Brown could not believe it himself. I don't know if you can train that out of players but we need to get back to basics."
Line-ups
Crystal Palace
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Speroni
- 34Kelly
- 6Dann
- 4HangelandSubstituted forGayleat 84'minutes
- 2Ward
- 11Zaha
- 15JedinakBooked at 87mins
- 28Ledley
- 7Bolasie
- 29ChamakhSubstituted forPuncheonat 76'minutes
- 10Campbell
Substitutes
- 3Mariappa
- 9Doyle
- 13Hennessey
- 16Gayle
- 18McArthur
- 25Bannan
- 42Puncheon
Sunderland
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1PantilimonBooked at 71mins
- 15Réveillere
- 27Vergini
- 16O'Shea
- 3van AanholtSubstituted forBrownat 37'minutes
- 6CattermoleBooked at 74mins
- 30BuckleyBooked at 63minsSubstituted forBridcuttat 82'minutes
- 7Larsson
- 14Gomez Garcia-Penche
- 10WickhamSubstituted forAltidoreat 78'minutes
- 9Fletcher
Substitutes
- 4Bridcutt
- 5Brown
- 11Johnson
- 17Altidore
- 18Mavrias
- 19Graham
- 25Mannone
- Referee:
- Phil Dowd
- Attendance:
- 23,212
Match Stats
Home TeamCrystal PalaceAway TeamSunderland
- Possession
- Home54%
- Away46%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away7
- Corners
- Home11
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away19
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Crystal Palace 1, Sunderland 3.
Goal!
Goal! Crystal Palace 1, Sunderland 3. Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Liam Bridcutt.
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Foul by Yannick Bolasie (Crystal Palace).
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Anthony Réveillere (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Joel Ward (Crystal Palace).
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Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Lee Cattermole.
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Attempt blocked. Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Yannick Bolasie.
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Attempt blocked. Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Martin Kelly with a cross.
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Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Santiago Vergini (Sunderland).
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Fraizer Campbell (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Jordi Gómez (Sunderland).
Dismissal
Second yellow card to Mile Jedinak (Crystal Palace).
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Foul by Mile Jedinak (Crystal Palace).
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Jordi Gómez (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt blocked. Yannick Bolasie (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Substitution
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Dwight Gayle replaces Brede Hangeland.
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Liam Bridcutt replaces William Buckley.
