Sunderland grabbed a priceless lifeline in the fight for Premier

League survival as goals from Fabio Borini and Jermain Defoe inspired a

3-0 win over relegation rivals Norwich on Saturday.

Sam Allardyce’s side would have been on the brink of crashing into

the Championship if they had lost at Carrow Road, but Borini’s first

half penalty and strikes from Defoe and Duncan Watmore after the

interval significantly improved their hopes of staying up.

Sunderland remain in the relegation zone after their first win in

seven matches, but they are now only one point behind fourth bottom

Norwich with a game in hand.

Allardyce has never been relegated from the top-flight and he could

be on course to mastermind another great escape to emulate Sunderland’s

last-ditch revival under Dick Advocaat 12 months ago.

For Norwich, it was further setback to their survival bid after last

weekend’s loss at Crystal Palace and they face a nervous last four

matches as the relegation struggle goes to the wire.

Norwich’s failure to avoid defeat also meant Aston Villa were given a

stay of execution, although the bottom club would be relegated if they

fail to win at Manchester United later on Saturday.

After unexpectedly meeting in the 1985 League Cup final, these two

clubs had established such a rapport that matches between them are now

played for the ‘Friendship Trophy’.

Allardyce was unaware of the curious alliance until it was pointed

out in the build-up this week but, with so much at stake, it wasn’t long

before the relationship was put to the test as tempers frayed.

Robbie Brady sparked the flashpoint when the Norwich winger

needlessly shoved Sunderland’s DeAndre Yedlin into the advertising

boards right in front of the visitors’ bench.

Brady was confronted by a member of Sunderland’s coaching staff and

Allardyce wasn’t far behind as he angrily pushed away Norwich’s Cameron

Jerome while players from both sides joined the shoving match.

When the furore had died down, Dieumerci Mbokani rose to above Younes

Kaboul to meet Brady’s cross, but the Norwich forward’s header was

straight at Sunderland goalkeeper Vito Mannone.

Sunderland threatened when Jan

Kirchhoff flicked a free-kick into the path of Fabio Borini, but the

Italy striker’s cross-shot flashed just past John Ruddy’s far post.

As Norwich began to dominate, Mannone alertly kept out Kaboul’s

deflected attempt to clear a Brady cross before brilliantly tipping over

Martin Olsson’s long-range effort.

Mannone’s heroics had kept Sunderland afloat and Allardyce’s men took full advantage four minutes before half-time.

Defoe picked out Borini in the penalty area and when he cut back

inside to attack Andre Wisdom, the Norwich defender got the slightest

touch on the ball before following through to catch the Italian with an

ugly tackle that convinced referee Andre Marriner to point to the spot.

Norwich’s furious players surrounded Marriner to protest, but Borini

ignored the fuss as he calmly slotted the penalty low to Ruddy’s right

for only his fourth goal of the season.

Neil sent on Nathan Redmond at half-time and the Norwich winger

nearly had an instant impact with a skidding shot that struck the

outside of a post.

But it was Sunderland who struck again in the 53rd minute.

Norwich defender Sebastien Bassong was nudged off the ball by

Kirchhoff far too easily inside his own half and Borini whipped over a

sublime cross that Defoe met with a typically predatory sliding finish

at the far post.

The Canaries laid seige to Sunderland’s goal in the closing stages

without success as Lee Cattermole cleared off the line from Mbokani and

then Wes Hoolahan.

Watmore rubbed salt in Norwich wounds in stoppage-time when he took

Seb Larsson’s pass and clipped a near post finish past Ruddy.