Crystal Palace 0-1 Sunderland: Jermain Defoe pounces on blunder from Scott Dann to steal victory for Sam Allardyce's Black Cats

• Jermain Defoe scored a late winner as Sunderland took all three points at Selhurst Park on Monday
• The 33-year-old striker capitalised on an error from Scott Dann to earn Sam Allardyce's side a vital victory
• The win moved Sunderland level on points with Bournemouth and one behind 17th-placed Newcastle 

By Sami Mokbel for the Daily Mail

Published: 16:53 EST, 23 November 2015 | Updated: 04:33 EST, 24 November 2015

This Sunderland performance was typical Sam Allardyce as Jermain Defoe hit a late winner after a resolute defensive display.

To say the manager is working his magic is a little far-fetched; there was nothing magical about this clash at Selhurst Park.

It was, though, in true Allardyce style, effective. It was resolute, uncompromising and tenacious all in equal measure as Defoe snatched the three points. Easy on the eye it was not but on a night they were expected to be blown away by Palace’s pacy attack, Sunderland stood firm. 

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Jermain Defoe capitalised on a defensive mistake to seal all three points for Sunderland at Crystal Palace on Monday night

Defoe robbed Crystal Palace defender Scott Dann of possession on his way to scoring the only goal of the evening in south London

Defoe won possession off Dann and rounded goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey before slotting the ball into an empty net

Crystal Palace centre back Dann watches on as Defoe escapes with the ball before scoring the winning goal for Sunderland

The 33-year-old striker slots the ball into the unmanned net before running off to celebrate his winning goal

Defoe revels in his winning goal that lifted Sunderland closer to Newcastle in 17th with a vital victory at Selhurst Park

MATCH FACTS, PLAYER RATINGS, PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE 

 

Crystal Palace: Hennessey 6.5, Ward 6, Dann 6, Delaney 7, Souare 6, Cabaye 7, McArthur 6.5, Bolasie 6.5, Puncheon 5 (Sako 46, Bamford 69), Zaha 7, Wickham 6 (Chamakh 76).

Subs Not Used: Speroni, Jedinak, Ledley, Kelly.

Booked: Dann.

Sunderland: Pantilimon 7.5, Coates 7.5, O'Shea 7.5, Kaboul 7.5, Jones 7, Larsson 6.5 (Watmore 60, 6.5), M'Vila 7.5, Cattermole 7, Van Aanholt 6.5, Fletcher 6.5 (Lens 59, 6), Defoe 8 (Graham 86).

Subs Not Used: Johnson, Toivonen, Yedlin, Mannone.

Booked: Jones, Defoe, M'Vila.

Goals: Defoe 80.

Attendance: 24,361

Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

James McArthur covered a lot of ground in midfield for Crystal Palace, as his heat map (above) shows. CLICK HERE FOR MORE STATS, FACTS AND ANALYSIS FROM SELHURST PARK USING MATCH ZONE

Allardyce has clearly used the international break to ram home his message to Sunderland’s relegation-threatened squad.

More performances like this and then maybe, just maybe, they can pull off a great escape.

Allardyce made no apologies for his side’s rugged performance, saying: ‘It’s no coincidence that conceding zero got us our victory; our two clean sheets have been our two victories. That is the way to go and it always has been the way to go, counter-attacking football. We parked the bus because we have to.’ 

Sam Allardyce waves to the Sunderland fans who had made the long journey down to London from the North East

Crystal Palace midfielder Yohan Cabaye takes on his fellow French midfielder Yann M'Vila of Sunderland

Crystal Palace forward Jason Puncheon stretches to try and get the ball under control as he comes under pressure from John O'Shea

Allardyce sprung a tactical surprise, employing a 3-5-2 system. Anything was worth a try given Sunderland’s state before Monday night — second from bottom and just one victory in 12 matches. 

The change appeared to catch Palace on the hop as the visitors started with gusto. 

Steven Fletcher, partnering Defoe up front, missed an early chance before Patrick van Aanholt rippled the side-netting. Defoe then fashioned himself a yard of space inside the area before firing wide of Wayne Hennessey’s far post. Three chances inside the first 15 minutes; where had this Sunderland been all season?

Palace, whose chairman Steve Parish revealed a deal for American businessmen Josh Harris and David Blitzer to join the board is set to be completed by Christmas, were dominating possession but lone striker Connor Wickham cut an isolated figure.

Defoe, in contrast, looked to have the bit between his teeth having been handed a rare start.

Allardyce will listen to offers for the former England international in January as he looks to raise money for a new year spending spree. On the evidence of his performance, he may want to reconsider. 

Wilfried Zaha tries to escape the attention of Sunderland defender Patrick van Aanholt as he searches for an opening

Sunderland striker Defoe tries to put pressure on Crystal Palace defender Dann and force a mistake during the first half

It was not quite vintage Defoe but even at the age of 33 his movement was enough to keep England hopeful Scott Dann occupied.

Following their win at Liverpool prior to the international break; Palace boss Alan Pardew would have been well within his rights to expect more from his team.

Yannick Bolasie and Wilfried Zaha also missed half-chances as Palace looked to make their possession pay. But this was as watertight as Sunderland have looked this season. Well-drilled and organised; Allardyce’s stamp on this team is slowly emerging.

The worry for the manager, though, was whether his side had fluffed their chance for three points. Surely, Palace would not be as toothless in the second half? 

Crystal Palace forward Yannick Bolasie hooks the ball into the middle in an attempt to find a breakthrough for his team

Cabaye was forced to make a clearance off the line for Crystal Palace to prevent them from falling behind

Pardew made a half-time change, replacing Jason Puncheon with Bakary Sako in hope of spicing up his attack. Indeed, Palace started the second period with renewed vigour. 

Yet, the chances kept coming for Sunderland as Sebastian Coates saw his glancing header from Seb Larsson’s corner cleared off the line by Yohan Cabaye.

Palace’s France international then saw his low 30-yard drive parried by Costel Pantilimon before Billy Jones picked up the first booking of the night for up-ending Bolasie.

The home side had shaken off their first-half malaise as Sako fired a vicious left-foot shot narrowly wide of the post in the 59th minute. 

O'Shea rises to head the ball clear of danger for Sunderland as Crystal Palace's Bolasie battles with him in the air

Both teams lined up together for the French national anthem to be played in memory of those who died in the Paris terrorist mistakes

The French motto 'liberte, egalite, fraternite' is displayed on the big screen at Selhurst Park during the playing of the national anthem

Allardyce knew it, too, making a double substitution on the hour to reinvigorate his attack as Jermaine Lens and Duncan Watmore replaced Fletcher and Larsson.

Pardew was then forced into a change of his own, replacing injured substitute Sako, who sustained a hamstring problem, with Patrick Bamford. Zaha and Bolasie were starting to have more of an impact down both flanks for Palace.

But Sunderland were undeterred in their search for a winner. It arrived in the 80th minute as Defoe, who limped off in the closing stages, took advantage of a calamitous mix-up between Dann and Hennessey to secure victory. 

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