Moyes in the firing line despite late point
David Moyes should have been reflecting on some crumbs of comfort as Sunderland belatedly displayed a little-seen backbone, but instead the manager was left to fend off questions about strains in his relationship with both supporters and some of his players.
The drought is over but the pain continues. Moyes had the consolation of seeing his side score their first goal since early February, as they secured a late point through substitute Fabio Borini to deny West Ham a victory which would have all but guaranteed their continued presence in the Premier League next season.
It has been one of those seasons for the beleaguered Scot who it appears cannot do right for doing wrong. After thrashing home a 90th-minute equaliser when goalkeeper Darren Randolph failed to deal with Darron Gibson’s ball into the box, Borini’s pointed 40-yard run and celebratory knee slide in front of the manager stationed in his technical area suggested that all is not well between the pair. “I don’t care where he celebrated,” Moyes insisted. “I’m just delighted he scored.”
Instead of taking credit as Wahbi Khazri, restored to the side for the first time in more than five months, became the first Sunderland player to find the net in 701 minutes of football, Moyes was instead derided by supporters for his refusal to previously entertain the first team chances of a player who thrived under Sam Allardyce.
The Tunisian international had made only one more start for club than country this season before his reintroduction, so it was unsurprising to hear ‘are you watching David Moyes?’ from the stands as the Sunderland players dusted off celebrations not required since their four-goal blitz at Crystal Palace 70 days previously. “I can only tell you it’s been my choice to play other people and not Wahbi because of what I’ve seen,” insisted the manager, who was jeered by sections of fans each time he ventured from his dugout. “That’s to be expected because me and the team are not doing well just now,” he added.
Time stood still in the 26th minute as the Stadium of Light came to terms with the previously incomputable occurrence of a player clad in red and white troubling the scorers.
Khazri’s in-swinging corner sailing over Edmilson Fernandes guarding the near post, to find the net via the far post as Victor Ahichebe expertly impeded Randolph’s efforts to pursue the flight of the ball. A clear foul? “Not in England,” West Ham manger Slaven Bilic reflected. Refusing to single out his goalkeeper for what would be justified criticism, Bilic added: “I’m not pointing the finger at anyone.”
Khazri’s first Premier League goal in approaching a year cancelled out Andre Ayew’s fifth minute opener. Andy Carroll’s misdirected far-post volley from Sam Byram’s cross fell invitingly for the Ghanaian to take a touch before poking his fifth goal of the season into the bottom corner from close range. Ayew should have put his side ahead for a second time in near identical circumstances, but it took less than two minutes after the restart for James Collins to glance a Robert Snodgrass corner beyond Jordan Pickford from inside the six-yard box.
Even with Borini’s late intervention, a draw is not much use to the hosts, who are nine points adrift of safety and already into must-win territory.
The late exit of defender Billy Jones on a stretcher suffering from concussion after banging his head on the ground in a challenge with Arthur Masuaku only added to the despondency. The hosts failed to find a winner even
with a numerical advantage in the 10 minutes’ stoppage time as Byram earned a second yellow card for a foul on Adnan Januzaj. “Billy’s gone to hospital, but he’s fine,” Moyes added. The prognosis for Sunderland’s Premier League future is not as optimistic.
Sunderland (4-2-3-1): Pickford 6; Jones 6 (Borini 87), O’Shea 5, Denayer 6, Manquillo 5 (Kone 88); Gibson 5, Cattermole 6 (Januzaj 76); Khazri 8, Ndong 5, Anichebe 5; Defoe 5. Subs Mannone (g), Rodwell, Pienaar, Djilobodji. Booked Cattermole. West Ham (4-2-3-1): Randolph 3; Byram 5, Fonte 5, Collins 7, Masuaku 5; Kouayte 5, Fernandes 4; Snodgrass 6 (Nordtveit 81), Ayew 6 (Calleri 90), Lanzini 5; Carroll 6. Subs Adrian (g), Cresswell, Feghouli, Fletcher, Rice. Booked Byram. Sent off Byram. Referee A Marriner (West Midlands).