Summary

  • Sunderland climb to within a point of safety

  • Sunderland XI: Mannone; Yedlin, van Aanholt, Kaboul, Kone, Kirchhoff, M'Vila, Cattermole, Borini, Khazri, Defoe

  • Norwich XI: Ruddy; Wisdom, Bennett, Bassong, Olsson; Jarvis, Howson, O'Neil (c), Brady; Naismith; Mbokani

  1. Postpublished at 29 mins

    Norwich 0-0 Sunderland

    I'll have a delve int o who is doing what on the pitch statistically in a second. These players are not seeing any time on the ball though, it's feverish. The Sunderland central defenders - Younes Kaboul and Lamine Kone are being made to work. Norwich have a nice blend in Dieumerci Mbokani as a target and Steven Naismith buzzing around for loose balls.

  2. Postpublished at 26 mins

    Norwich 0-0 Sunderland

    Steven Naismith & Vito MannoneImage source, Getty Images

    This is decent, there's plenty to get stuck into with every turn and Steven Naismith slams one into the legs of Younes Kaboul in the area. Brave block.

    Norwich just look a little more in tune than their visitors in the final third, Robbie Brady with a cross, OWN GOAL... no. Vito Mannone with a key save to prevent Kaboul's deflection going in.

    In comes the resulting corner, headed clear but only as far as Martin Olsson... WHAT A HIT... brilliant Mannone save. That was a left-footed volley, superb technique to catch it so cleanly and Mannone plucked it from the top corner.

  3. Postpublished at 25 mins

    Norwich 0-0 Sunderland

    So here's the story...

    Norwich 0-0 SunderlandImage source, .

    An excellent home start but the visitors have grown into it in the past five minutes or so. 

  4. Postpublished at 13:09 British Summer Time 16 April 2016

    Terry Butcher
    Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

    John RuddyImage source, Getty Images

    "Defoe has got in behind and two defenders can't tie him down. Ruddy did well to stand him up."

  5. Postpublished at 21 mins

    Norwich 0-0 Sunderland

    Much better by Sunderland as Lee Cattermole almost gets Fabio Borini in behind, only a timely tackle stops Borini from pulling the trigger in the box. 

    They come again, a long ball gets Jermain Defoe on the chase and he will beat John Ruddy to this. Ruddy is out, the goal is exposed and Defoe tries to cut the ball back for a team-mate but a score of yellow and green shirts get back to stop the danger. My word, hearts were in mouths for Norwich fans there.

  6. Postpublished at 20 mins

    Norwich 0-0 Sunderland

    Sunderland have kept four clean sheets this season. A league lowImage source, BBC Sport

    If I were a Sunderland fan I'd be concerned. This style, soaking up pressure and looking to release Jermain Defoe all the time seems risky. It's not like the Black Cats are some sort of Arrigo Sacchi side with a rock-solid defence.

  7. Postpublished at 13:04 British Summer Time 16 April 2016

    John Murray
    BBC Radio 5 live commentator at Carrow Road

    Sunderland striker, Fabio BoriniImage source, Getty Images

    "That just shows the danger of Borini. It was only a sniff of a chance and almost a goal."

  8. CLOSE!published at 18 mins

    Norwich 0-0 Sunderland

    You don't need much ball to be a threat though. A long punt into the home area and again it's Defoe, a nuisance. He gets a foot to it and Fabio Borini picks up the scraps, firing across goal and wide from a narrow angle.

  9. Postpublished at 16 mins

    Norwich 0-0 Sunderland

    In comes the first corner, flicked behind for another.... in again.... slap. The head of Younes Kaboul meets it like a wrecking ball meets concrete. Quality by Jermain Defoe, buys a free-kick on halfway to relieve some pressure.

  10. Postpublished at 15 mins

    Norwich 0-0 Sunderland

    In the opening 15 minutes, Sunderland have completed just 44% of their passes. It's go-long stuff from them. Steven Naismith tried to get Matt Jarvis in behind, timely toe-poke from Younes Kaboul... corner.

  11. Postpublished at 12:59 British Summer Time 16 April 2016

    Get involved #bbcfootball

    Pete Roach: This match will be won by the team with most players left on the pitch at the end. Big Sam to end up in the stands...

  12. Postpublished at 12:59 British Summer Time 16 April 2016

    Terry Butcher
    Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

    M'Bokani should have done better there. He was only six or seven yards out."

  13. Postpublished at 13 mins

    Norwich 0-0 Sunderland

    Norwhich City fansImage source, Getty Images

    Norwich are feeding off this energy transmitted by the crowd and Sunderland cannot find any rhythm. Again as they try to escape at the back a high press comes and Norwich win the ball back. Chance to cross, in it comes.... header by Dieumerci Mbokani... easy catch for Vito Mannone. Half-chance from eight yards. He got above Younes Kaboul.

  14. Postpublished at 12 mins

    Norwich 0-0 Sunderland

    Sunderland's Jermaine DefoeImage source, Getty Images

    Jermain Defoe looks like a kid on the naughty wall, isolated, alone, lonely. 

    He focuses on another long ball, the only Sunderland player in the Norwich half, but can't quite pull it out of the air and get a shot off.

  15. Postpublished at 8 mins

    Norwich 0-0 Sunderland

    Sam Allardyce is chewing away on the bench. He looks like a cross between a cage fighter and Sir Alex Ferguson right now. Hopefully he calms down a bit.

    It's been a good Norwich start, they are seeing more ball, buoyed by a noisy home crowd. Sunderland, one set piece aside, look quite solid and for the first time they look to release Jermain Defoe but the long ball has too much zip on it.

  16. Get Involvedpublished at 12:53 British Summer Time 16 April 2016

    #bbcfootball

    Geoff Ramm: How long before these stupid electronic advertising boards cause a serious head injury?

  17. Postpublished at 12:52 British Summer Time 16 April 2016

    Terry Butcher
    Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

    "That looked like a training ground move from Norwich. It has been a bright start from the home side."

  18. Postpublished at 5 mins

    Norwich 0-0 Sunderland

    Lovely corner from the home side and Jonny Howson has dropped to the edge of the area to volley the delivery... blocked in the six-yard box.

  19. Postpublished at 12:51 British Summer Time 16 April 2016

    Terry Butcher
    Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

    "Everyone got up and you can sense the tension and the nerves. I think that favours Sunderland. Everyone got together and got involved. It can get everyone fighting for the same cause."

  20. Postpublished at 3 mins

    Norwich 0-0 Sunderland

    Norwich City & SunderlandImage source, Reuters

    Look out. It's taken three minutes to boil over and BIG SAM IS PUSHING PLAYERS.

    Don't mess with the big man. He's incensed as Robbie Brady just threw DeAndre Yedlin into the advertising boards. It was a bit heavy industry from Brady, right in front of the away bench.

    Allardyce watches briefly and then hears something he doesn't like, prompting him to get involved in the pushing. All the players pretty much wade in. Cracking start. Where's Anthony Joshua when you need him.