Sunderland 2-2 West Ham United

Sunderland v West Ham — Sunderland have not won a Premier League match since 9 May

Sunderland are yet to win in the Premier League this season after blowing a 2-0 lead to draw against West Ham at the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats raced 2-0 ahead, Steven Fletcher firing home from Yann M'Vila's free-kick before Jeremain Lens's sublime chip doubled the advantage.

Dick Advocaat's final interview as Sunderland manager

Carl Jenkinson led the fightback after Victor Moses' cutback before Lens was sent off for a second yellow card.

A mistake by Costel Pantilimon allowed Dimitri Payet to equalise.

Relive all the action from the Stadium of Light

All the reaction from Saturday's Premier League games

What next for Advocaat?

Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole was at his tigerish best in the first half, making five recoveries (yellow), three interceptions (blue), one tackle (green) and one clearance (purple)

There were mixed feelings for Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat at the final whistle.

Though his side allowed a comfortable lead to slip, the point was enough to haul them off the bottom of the table above Newcastle United, who lost 6-1 at Manchester City.

The build-up to the game was dominated by reports Advocaat was considering quitting, having apparently become disillusioned with working on a limited budget.

The former Netherlands manager's players showed they were behind him by turning in their best 45 minutes of the season against a team who had won their previous three away league games - at Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal.

Fletcher marked his return by lashing home from inside the area following M'Vila's free-kick before a sublime finish from Lens doubled the lead.

The Dutch forward produced a wonderful chip over Adrian after a through-ball from the impressive M'Vila, the goal reducing Advocaat to tears of joy.

But Sunderland were made to pay as Fabio Borini spurned one great chance to put the game out of sight and John O'Shea was denied by Adrian.

West Ham hard to beat

West Ham, who twice came from behind to secure a point in their last game against Norwich, again showed character to rescue a point when all seemed lost.

Sunderland 2-2 West Ham - Slaven Bilic pleased with point

They were back in the game when Jenkinson converted Moses's cutback on the stroke of half-time.

Sunderland's afternoon went downhill when they were forced to play more than half-an-hour with 10 men after Lens' 57th-minute red card for a second bookable offence.

West Ham were level when Pantilimon could not hold Manuel Lanzini's shot from distance and Payet was on hand to convert the rebound.

The Hammers, who drop from third to fifth in the table, are unbeaten in their past five league matches.

Man of the match - Victor Moses

What they said

Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat: "The performance has to lift the spirits. We showed if we work hard, we can get points and results, because West Ham are a good side and we know they have had good results in their away games, so I have to give compliments for their performance."

Click to read what Advocaat had to say about his future at Sunderland.

Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat (right) and West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic — Slaven Bilic (left) and Dick Advocaat are both former national coaches

West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic: "If you asked me yesterday would I take a point, I would never say I would take a point, we want three but we knew it would be a hard game.

"Emotions are mixed, a point is a point is especially when we were 2-0 down, but if we look at the last 20 minutes I am disappointed we didn't capitalise on it. But we are not greedy. It's a good point for us."

What next?

There will be relief at the Stadium of Light that Sunderland are not propping up the Premier League table going into the international break. Yet they face a challenging time when the domestic campaign resumes in two weeks' time. They are away at West Bromwich Albion on 17 October before hosting fellow strugglers Newcastle United in the Wear-Tyne derby on 25 October.

West Ham, unbeaten on their travels this season, are at Crystal Palace on 17 October before hosting champions Chelsea on 24 October.

The stats that matter

Sunderland have won just one of their past seven Premier League games against the Hammers (D4 L2).
Advocaat's first Premier League game in charge of Sunderland was the meeting between the two sides in March, won by West Ham. The Dutchman has taken just 15 points from 17 league games.
Payet has had a hand in 14 goals (five goals, nine assists) in his past 16 league appearances (Premier League & Ligue 1 combined).
Mark Noble's booking after one minute 44 seconds was the second-quickest in the Premier League this season.
Sunderland have averaged a red card every 852 minutes in Premier League history - only two clubs have received one more frequently (Blackburn - 842 mins, Hull- 720 mins).
Sunderland had 12 shots in this game but only one of them came after half-time.

Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text

Line-ups

Sunderland

Formation 4-2-3-1

1Pantilimon
24Yedlin
22CoatesBooked at 74mins
16O'Shea
2Jones
21M'VilaSubstituted forGomez Garcia-Pencheat 90+5'minutes
6CattermoleBooked at 43mins
17LensBooked at 57mins
20ToivonenSubstituted forLarssonat 84'minutes
9Borini
26FletcherSubstituted forRodwellat 85'minutes

Substitutes

3van Aanholt
5Brown
7Larsson
8Rodwell
14Gomez Garcia-Penche
18Defoe
25Mannone

West Ham

Formation 4-2-3-1

13Adrián
12JenkinsonBooked at 72mins
5Tomkins
2ReidBooked at 24minsSubstituted forCollinsat 66'minutes
3CresswellBooked at 36mins
8Kouyaté
16NobleBooked at 2minsSubstituted forZárateat 79'minutes
28Lanzini
27Payet
20MosesSubstituted forJelavicat 58'minutes
15Sakho

Substitutes

1Randolph
10Zárate
14Obiang
19Collins
26Jelavic
30Antonio
35Oxford

Referee:: Neil Swarbrick
Attendance:: 42,932

Match Stats

Home TeamSunderlandAway TeamWest Ham

Possession: Home44%; Away56%

Shots: Home12; Away20

Shots on Target: Home3; Away6

Corners: Home1; Away8

Fouls: Home14; Away11

Live Text

Post update
Match ends, Sunderland 2, West Ham United 2.
90'+6'
Full Time
Second Half ends, Sunderland 2, West Ham United 2.

90'+5'
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Jordi Gómez replaces Yann M'Vila.
90'+5'
Post update
Offside, West Ham United. Diafra Sakho tries a through ball, but James Collins is caught offside.
90'+4'
Post update
James Collins (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+4'
Post update
Foul by Fabio Borini (Sunderland).
90'+4'
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
90'+3'
Post update
Delay in match Yann M'Vila (Sunderland) because of an injury.
90'+3'
Post update
Attempt missed. Nikica Jelavic (West Ham United) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top left corner. Assisted by Dimitri Payet following a set piece situation.
90'+2'
Post update
Dimitri Payet (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90'+2'
Post update
Foul by Jack Rodwell (Sunderland).
90'
Post update
Attempt blocked. Manuel Lanzini (West Ham United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mauro Zárate.
89'
Post update
Attempt blocked. Diafra Sakho (West Ham United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Dimitri Payet.
89'
Post update
Offside, Sunderland. Sebastian Larsson tries a through ball, but Fabio Borini is caught offside.
88'
Post update
Dimitri Payet (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
88'
Post update
Foul by Billy Jones (Sunderland).
88'
Post update
James Tomkins (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
88'
Post update
Foul by Fabio Borini (Sunderland).
87'
Post update
Attempt missed. Nikica Jelavic (West Ham United) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top left corner following a corner.
86'
Post update
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Billy Jones.

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