West Brom continue to come forward in numbers but West Ham look comfortable. Slaven Bilic's men's fine season rolls on. 

Can Sunderland get this goal they need? Jermain Defoe is the man to get it for them, and he hooks an acrobatic effort narrowly over the top after some neat footwork 10 yards out.

Into the last 15 minutes...

Is this the moment that will eventually deny Villa only their second away win of the season? They're down to 10 men as left-back Aly Cissokho sees a red card wafted in his face by referee Anthony Taylor. Rather harsh on first glance. 

Watford's Ikechi Anya races clear as Villa's defence goes MIA, last man Cissokho charging across to tackle. But he seemed to clip ball before man.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

SAVED!!!!!!!!!!!

What a big moment. Yohan Cabaye steps up, against his old club, jeers ringing in his ears, and he hits it hard and fairly central. Karl Darlow makes the save.

Pandemonium! 

Bemused faces all around but Moussa Sissoko has an arm raised as he goes up for a header and that is a penalty!

Villa fans could be in for a rare Saturday night of celebration. They'll be ordering aromatic crispy duck to supplement their beef chow mein tonight. The already-relegated visitors look comfortable at Vicarage Road, creating a couple of half chances that eventually come to nothing. That's more than Watford have mustered in the past few minutes though...

Gary Hooper has scored a vital goal for Sheffield Wednesday, a strike that would guarantee the Owls a play-off place and end the hopes of their opponents Cardiff.

In other Championship games, already-relegated Charlton are two up at Leeds, Brentford are 3-0 ahead against Fulham, while Wolves, Preston and Blackburn are all holding 1-0 leads.

Bristol City are performing well today and Jonathan Kodjia's goal has taken them 3-0 ahead against Huddersfield.

Image source, Getty Images

Steve Stone
Former Newcastle coach and England midfielder on BBC Radio 5 live

"Rafa Benitez must have had a word at half-time, they needed more energy. They were giving Crystal Palace far too much respect, they needed to get in their faces. It is not like they are playing one of the top sides in the division."

Image source, .

That Andros Townsend goal for Newcastle has lifted the Magpies above Sunderland and clear of the drop zone. For now.

Andros Townsend has been influential for Newcastle down the right flank this afternoon.

He's scored a dreamy goal, but prior to that he'd made a heaps of successful passes and been a constant threat. In fact, he's only wasted possession four times in an hour.  

Image source, opta

Amelia Hunter: Sat in my backyard at least 30 minutes walk from StJames in Newcastle and even I can hear the Geordies now.

Peter Coggins: Newcastle look set to win the Premiership next season then!

(They're 1000/1 Peter)

Sunderland are going down with a whimper this afternoon. There has been no real response to falling behind at all.

They need a goal. At least one.

Big Sam is fuming. "KEEP IT SIMPLE!" he bellows at Lee Cattermole.

Steve Stone
Former Newcastle coach and England midfielder on BBC Radio 5 live

Image source, PA

"Townsend has been the inspiration for Newcastle for the last three or four weeks and once again he has come up with the goods. It is a great strike, he goes for the far corner and wrong foots Wayne Hennessey, who is nowhere near it."

Saido Berahino is on for West Brom and within a minute he drags a low shot just wide. Can West Brom salvage anything here?

Second-placed Burton have been pegged back by Gillingham, who have equalised through Cody McDonald's goal early in the second half to make it 1-1.

In a match delayed by 30 minutes because of a storm, relegation-threatened Doncaster are drawing 1-1 at already-doomed Crewe. Tommy Rowe's goal put Doncaster ahead, but Callum Ainley has equalised just before the break.

Meanwhile, Millwall have gone 3-0 up against Oldham with Byron Webster's second goal of the game. The Lions can look forward to a tilt at the play-offs, as can Bradford if they stay in front at Southend, where the Bantams are currently 1-0 ahead. Barnsley, who are also after a top-six finish have equalised with Ashley Fletcher's goal to make it 1-1 v Colchester.

Image source, PA

Sunderland are two points behind rivals Newcastle as it stands. Sunderland are in the relegation zone as it stands.

Newcastle are above the drop zone.

Everton have half an hour to find a rare home win. But it is still all Bournemouth. Josh King flashing an effort a whisker past the post, then Matt Ritchie's free-kick needing to be stopped by Tim Howard.

Top scorer Romelu Lukaku is summoned from the bench....

stephen harding: #hibbo, external who needs Lukaku (or a manager, or a board who can't see this isn't good enough) we have a 35 yr old talisman.