Fabio Borini’s 90th-minute equaliser rescued a draw for Sunderland after a poor performance against Crystal Palace.
Despite taking the lead late in the first half, with Dame N’Doye’s shot putting the Black Cats in front after taking a massive deflection off Scott Dann to deceive Wayne Hennessey.
Former Sunderland player Connor Wickham scored twice in six minutes after awful defending from the home team looked to have cost them the match, but Fabio Borini – on as a substitute in the 80th minute – fired home a superb shot across the goal to rescue a point.
Jan Kirchhoff and Wahbi Khazri again impressed, but the former was clearly suffering from fatigue in the second half and was replaced by Lee Cattermole after 64 minutes. This was the second forced substitution of the match, with skipper John O’Shea limping off after half an hour with a tight calf.
Cattermole himself was forced off injured after a clash of heads with Jordan Mutch left the vice-captain with blood pouring from his face. It was this change that allowed Fabio Borini to enter the fray.
Jack Rodwell once again impressed in midfield after making his first start this year. Can he finally begin to justify his hefty price tag?
Both Sam Allardyce and Fabio Borini felt it was two points lost for Sunderland, who at the time of writing are out of the relegation zone on goal difference.
Next up is a trip to Southampton on Saturday, a game that Big Sam wants to win.
Sunderland: Mannone, Yedlin, Koné, O’Shea (c) (Kaboul 28), van Aanholt, Kirchhoff (Cattermole 64) (Borini 80), N’Doye, M’Vila, Rodwell, Khazri, Defoe
Substitutes: Pickford, Jones, Kaboul, Cattermole, Toivonen, Larsson, Borini
Crystal Palace: Hennessey, Ward, Delaney, Kelly, Cabaye (Ledley 73), Jedinak (c), Zaha, Mutch, Bolasie (Sako 77), Wickham (Adebayor 84)
Substitutes: McCarthy, Mariappa, Lee Chung-Yong, Ledley, Sako, Gayle, Adebayor
Goals: N’Doye (36), Wickham (61, 67), Borini (90)
Booked: Rodwell (18, Foul Play), Dann (45+1, Foul Play)
Attendance: 39, 795
Referee: Anthony Taylor
