Nice this from Palace. Connor Wickham hits one long to Yannick Bolasie - who may use a bit of arm to control it - and then flicks in Jordon Mutch down the left side of the area. He shoots, he hits the side netting.

A brief respite, so here's the possession stats...

Image source, .

Jack Rodwell catches Wilfried Zaha as Palace try to break. Cynical? Yes. Smart? Maybe.

A bunch of Palace players rush in and there's some shoving.

Only Rodwell gets a booking.

I judged this game too quickly after only six minutes. And they say never to judge a game after six minutes.

It's open and fun to watch right now.

Yannick Bolasie adds to the entertainment by scything down DeAndre Yedlin.

Image source, AP

Business has picked up here.

Yohan Cabaye's free-kick from the right is nodded down to Damien Delaney, but Vito Mannone is out to block.

And straight up the other end Wahbi Khazri has a shot deflected wide.

Palace finding a rhythm now, as Yannick Bolasie makes space down the left but misses everyone with the cross.

At the other end Jack Rodwell catches one nicely from 20 yards, although it's simple for Wayne Hennessey,

Now here's a bit of quality. Wilfried Zaha turns Sunderland full-back DeAndre Yedlin inside out three times and heads into the area, before hammering a shot at Vito Mannone.

Hmmm. The first few minutes have been as miserable as the weather. Sunderland's Lamine Kone shanks a pass out of play.

And Wilfried Zaha has a shot for Palace from just inside the area - also shanked.

Shankamania

Impressively, both sides have just knocked it back and forth down the far touchline about six times without finding a team-mate.

Palace in particular struggling for a foothold. Here's Jordon Mutch chasing one down the left, but his touch lets him down.

Sunderland manage to work a nice throw-in routine down the left to release Patrick van Aanholt, who puts in a cross that whirls all over the place in the wind and has Wayne Hennessey worried. It drifts over the back post.

The rain really did teem down before kick-off, but it's eased off now.

Stadium of Light not the most desirable of venues this evening.

Jack Rodwell is the first man to get a foot on the ball and charges at the Palace defence, but can't find a ball through to match the burst.

Image source, Getty Images

Off we go, with Sunderland getting us under way.

Will we see much change? Kick-off is imminent.

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John Murray
Match of the Day commentator

"Sam Allardyce's immediate assessment after Sunderland's narrow defeat at West Ham on Saturday was to declare that his team need to take a minimum of four points from the two matches they play this week.

"The bottom seven clubs weren't able to muster a single win between them over the weekend. That includes Crystal Palace, whose bleak recent run has now become one point from a possible 24.

"Their manager Alan Pardew lost his last four matches against Sunderland while in charge at Newcastle but exorcised that with a handsome 4-1 victory in his first visit with Palace last season.

"Any sort of win would do for them just now."

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew: "Are we in a relegation fight? Yes, of course we are. We keep losing."

"There is no talk of Europe at this club. We are focused now on what Crystal Palace need to deliver over the next 10 games.

"We've got a fantastic opportunity in the FA Cup but the league form hasn't been good enough and we need to put it right, straight away."

It's a soggy old evening in Sunderland tonight. I just saw water dripping off the face of Jermain Defoe during the warm-up - after which he will need a dry-down.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce: "We have got 11 games (left) and we have got to have our best run of the season.

"We have got to pick up five victories if we can, and that's 38 points - then hope that 38 points is going to be enough again this year."