Dark day at the Stadium of Light as Sunderland relegated
Sunderland’s 10-year stay in the Premier League ended yesterday when they lost 1-0 at home to Bournemouth, leaving them 13 points adrift with four games remaining after Hull City held on for a goalless draw at Southampton.
Sunderland’s fate looked set when Bournemouth’s Josh King side-footed in the winner at the Stadium of Light in the 88th minute after a swift counter-attack.
A Hull defeat would have given Sunderland a stay of execution and when Southampton were awarded a penalty at St Mary’s in the final minute there was a glimmer of hope for David Moyes’ team.
But Hull keeper Eldin Jakupovic dived low to save Dusan Tadic’s penalty in the final minute and earn the 17th-placed Tigers a vital point in their own battle against the drop.
Sunderland had some chances but top scorer Jermain Defoe was not at his sharpest and, not for the first time this season, the home supporters flooded out of the ground before the final whistle.
‘‘My feeling at the start of the season was it was going to be a hard graft,’’ Moyes said.
‘‘But ultimately I feel for the supporters. They pay their hardearned cash to come to the stadium and we have not given them enough this season,’’ he said.
Moyes said he was not ready to discuss his future, saying two or three weeks of reflection were needed for the club before a plan was developed for a return to the Premier League. The club’s American owner Ellis Short issued a statement saying such a plan would be developed once the season was over and admitted the club had made mistakes.
Middlesbrough, who played at home to Manchester City overnight, are in 19th place on 27 points while Swansea, who were Manchester United, are on points and Hull are on 34.
At the Hawthorns Jamie Vardy struck the 43rd-minute winner for champions Leicester against West Brom in a 1-0 win. Vardy finished with confidence after Shinji Okazaki latched on to a poor back pass from Salomon Rondon.
Goals from Ashley Barnes and at 31 substitute Andre Gray helped Burnley to get their first away win of the season with a 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace. The result moves Burnley to eight points above the relegation zone and should secure their top-flight status for another season.
Burnley move up to 14th place, above Palace and West Ham, who drew 0-0 at Stoke City.