FAB’S POP AT MOYES
EVERY KICK, EVERY GOAL, EVERY GAME Fans turning too
A GAME which delivered a rare point for Sunderland still raised more questions than answers about David Moyes’ future.
The Black Cats’ goal drought ended after 701 tortuous minutes when Wahbi Khazri’s corner caught the wind and flew in.
They snatched a draw when Fabio Borini came off the bench to score a late equaliser that their spirited performance deserved.
With Hull and Swansea losing, Sunderland ended the day slightly closer to survival than they started it.
But those facts conceal more brutal truths, with relegation in reality moving ever nearer and the uneasy truce between Moyes and the club’s long-suffering fans coming to an end.
Chasing
Just as worrying, Borini’s brazen celebration in front of his manager and his post-match interview, which talked of discord and a lack of unity in the dressing room, suggests there are wider issues than just bad results.
With games running out, this was a match Sunderland had to win.
But they were always chasing it with Andre Ayew and James Collins scoring at the start of each half.
While Collins’ glancing header within a minute of the restart was greeted with grim resignation by a crowd barely three-quarters of the official attendance of 40,168, Ayew’s fifth-minute opener had brought the first audible chants against Moyes.
They came from a pocket of fans rather than a mass. But when he walked towards his technical area, dissent grew and there were ironic songs directed at him when Khazri, easily Sunderland’s most impressive performer but a player largely ignored this term, found the net.
While few can have much sympathy for Borini, who turns self-pity into an art form, his underlying message of a fractured camp contrasts sharply with the mood 12 months ago when Sam Allardyce steered the side towards survival.
No manager who wins just five games out of 33 can be popular and Lee Cattermole admits the club is not a happy one right now.
“I don’t think the crowd turned against the manager – not the way I’ve seen other managers treated,” said the long-serving midfielder.
“Which fans are happy? SUNDERLAND (4-3-3): Pickford 6; Jones 5 (Borini 88), O’Shea 7, Denayer 6, Manquillo Ndong 5 (Kone 89); 6, Cattermole 6 (Januzaj 76), Gibson Defoe 5, Anichebe 6; KHAZRI 8, 6. Subs: Mannone, Djilobodji, Rodwell, Pienaar. UP NEXT: Middlesbrough (a), Premier League, Wednesday, April 26. WEST HAM (4-2-3-1): Randolph 5; Byram 5, Fonte 6, Collins 6, Masuaku 6; Fernandes Snodgrass 6, Kouyate 7; 6 (Nordveit 81), AYEW 7 (Calleri Carroll 6. 90), Lanzini 6; Subs: Cresswell, Feghouli, Adrian, UP NEXT: Fletcher, Rice. Everton (h), Premier League, Saturday. Referee: Andre Marriner 5. YOUR TURN: How many goals did Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe score in 105 appearances from 1999 for West Ham to 2004 – 21, 31 or 41? Which players and managers here are happy? No one is happy at the minute because of the position we’re in.
“But the way we performed shows how hard we’re trying. We could easily have lost 2-1 but gained a point on those teams around us. That’s as positive as I’ve felt after a game for a long time.” West Ham defender Jose Fonte believes the draw can provide the platform for a top-10 finish, even though keeper Darren Randolph’s late blunder meant the result felt more like a loss. WAHBI KHAZRI Made things happen “We’re two unbeaten now but I’m not going to lie, everyone is disappointed,” he said. “We’ll take the positives and if we win our next game, we’re in a great position to achieve a top-half finish.” Moyes pointed out that he boasts one of the top flight’s most impressive win ratios as a manager, but past achievements at Everton are no use to Sunderland. The Scot faces mission impossible to keep the Black Cats up. Winning over his critics and restoring harmony to the club may prove just as tough. DARREN RANDOLPH Confidence is shot
Critics