Bolasie hits quick hat-trick for Palace to end Pardew’s nightmare in North East
HE came for revenge and left having inflicted a humiliating defeat which leaves sorry Sunderland perhaps regretting they ever crossed Alan Pardew.
The Crystal Palace boss would not admit as much, but the grin he wore in the wake of Yannick Bolasie’s hat-trick goal told of his satisfaction.
Four times on the spin he suffered defeat as Newcastle manager in Tyne-Wear derbies. It was a ruinous run which fractured his relationship with the club’s fans and contributed towards his decision to quit in January.
This was his first trip back to the North East and how he enjoyed it. Palace, who now have 25 points from 36 under his care were devastating yesterday, a ruthless and unforgiving frontline of Bolasie, Glenn Murray, Jason Puncheon and Wilfried Zaha proving too powerful and too fast for a Black Cats defence running out of lives.
Manager Dick Advocaat watched them surrender to four goals inside 14 minutes at the start of the second half.
Last weekend he was celebrating a derby victory and there was talk of him extending his stay beyond the end of this season. Sunderland, though, are heading for the Championship and Adovcaat’s reputation is on the line.
‘We were excellent. We were almost unplayable,’ said Pardew.
‘We’re a team that is bang in form and as a manager you can only be so proud. The scoreline flattered Sunderland a little bit.
‘That front quartet were irresistible at times. We are an honest group with that pace and power and that makes us a very dangerous team.’
‘I’m surprised he [Bolasie] hasn’t scored more goals. He’s the first Palace player to get a Premier League hat-trick as well, so that is a surprise.
‘He’s at an age where he is improving. The final moment still needs to improve but he was excellent in that respect here.’
This latest collapse leaves Sunderland just three points above the drop zone and Advocaat said: ‘I was shocked. You can see what can change in just six days. We were not in the game. Even in the first half Palace were better.
‘We did not create any chances. That is a big concern. ‘But I knew when I started this job that it would be difficult. We still have six games. We can still stay up. We need to get our confidence back.’
Palace broke the first-half tedium with their early blitz after the break.
Bolasie was the provider for the opener when his 48th minute cross was deflected onto the brow of Murray, who planted home from four yards for his sixth goal in as many matches.
Within three minutes the livewire Congolese had his first. Scott Dann loaded a ball forward from his own half, Murray rose to flick on and Bolasie escaped to score past keeper Costel Pantilimon.
The visitors were three in front in the 53rd minute, and again a long ball proved Sunderland’s undoing as Bolasie pounced to rob t John O’Shea before lifting it over Pantilimon.
He did not have to wait long for his hat-trick. Palace broke through Murray down the right and he squared for Bolasie who, after out-scrapping Pantilimon and Santiago Vergini, completed his first senior treble.
Sunderland finally scored when Connor Wickham turned in Patrick Van Aanholt’s cross but news of Leicester and Aston Villa’s victories has them looking down once more.
For Pardew, things are very much looking up. SUNDERLAND (4-3-3): Pantilimon 4.5; Jones 5, Vergini 4, O’Shea 3.5, Van Aanholt 5; Rodwell 5, Cattermole 5 (Bridcutt 64, 5), Gomez 4.5 (Johnson 60, 5); Defoe 5, Fletcher 5.5, Wickham 6. Subs (not used): Reveillere, Graham, Coates, Mannone, Buckley. Booked: Rodwell, Cattermole. CRYSTAL PALACE (4-4-2): Speroni 6; Ward 6, Dann 7, Delaney 6.5, Souare 6 (Kelly 35, 6); Zaha 7.5, McArthur 6.5 (Ledley 69, 6), Jedinak 6.5, Puncheon 7; Bolasie 9 (Sanogo 71, 6), Murray 7.5. Subs (not used): Hangeland, Hennessey, Gayle, Ameobi. Booked: Dann. REfEREE: Anthony Taylor 6.