Jones and Defoe cast a shadow over Hull’s survival mission
It had been a long time since Hull City manager Marco Silva lost a home game and this was a terrible moment for that to end. Where hope had blossomed, doubt now spreads as Sunderland secured a win that ensures the Tigers may well be joining them in the Championship next season.
Not since March 2014, when he was a rookie coach at Portuguese minnows Estoril, has Silva had to deal with a defeat in front of his own supporters. A run of 41 games, though, has come to a sudden, shuddering stop.
As good as they have been at home, Hull are a poor team whenever they cross the Yorkshire border, and next week’s trip to Crystal Palace is followed by a tough final game at home against Tottenham Hotspur which they may well need to win to stay up.
If Hull do not cling on, this result will make them seethe. Goals from Billy Jones and Jermain Defoe gave Sunderland a first win since February, a week after relegation was confirmed.
“My home record is not important, what is important is the result,” said Silva. “I said before the match that we had to be clear, this was not an easy game. If you lose our focus like we did, at this level, at set-pieces, it is impossible. There was big tension out there and this is not a good moment. We have to remain calm because when you rush everything you cannot play well.”
Hull’s survival mission had been in hope rather than expectation, but that had begun to change. For the first time since they returned to the Premier League a year ago, people started to assume Hull would remain there.
Such a dramatic shift in perception does strange things. When expectations alter, so does pressure. Hull could not relax, were sloppy with and without the ball. In contrast, Sunderland, freed from the burden of survival, played without pressure. They should have scored early in the first half as Jones swung over a cross for the unmarked George Honeyman, but he put it wide.
Hull stuttered into the game, with Sam Clucas denied by an excellent low save from Jordan Pickford before Harry Maguire sent another effort wide. The hosts created a good chance before the break as Abel Hernández drifted past a tired tackle from John O’Shea but sent a shot just beyond the far post.
Hull remained tense without a goal, and they were rescued at the start of the second half by their goalkeeper. A long ball fell perfectly for Defoe, but his shot was too close to Eldin Jakupovic and the Bosnian made a sharp, low stop.
The threat of disaster sparked Hull into action and a terrible miss from Alfred N’Diaye was followed by another brilliant save from Pickford, who tipped over a Lazar Markovic header.
Hull were on top, but Sunderland made the breakthrough. A corner from Honeyman was flicked on by O’Shea and a diving header from Jones sent the ball in off the inside of the post.
Hull began to panic, Oumar Niasse snatching at a shot before Pickford made another superb save, keeping out Hernández at point-blank range. Forced to chase the game, Hull conceded again in stoppage time, Defoe bundling the ball home for his first goal for the club in almost three months.
“It has come too late to save us” said Sunderland manager David Moyes, who scoffed at suggestions he would be willing to sell the magnificent Pickford to Everton for just £17 million. “But that result has been coming.
“As for Jordan, the saves he made today are normal for him. That is how big a talent he is. I’ve seen some figures [to sell him] and they are rubbish.”