Turbulent week for Crystal Palace ends in defeat at Sunderland

By Rebecca Johnson, Press Association

Crystal Palace’s winless run extended to 10 games in all competitions after they were beaten 2-1 by Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

A turbulent week for the Eagles saw them crash out of the FA Cup with defeat to non-League Macclesfield last Saturday, before boss Oliver Glasner confirmed on Friday that he would be leaving the club at the end of the season and that defender Marc Guehi is close to a move away.

Although Palace took the lead through Yeremy Pino’s top-corner finish after half-an-hour, Enzo Le Fee quickly replied for the Black Cats.

A strong second-half display from the hosts was rewarded when Brian Brobbey struck a superb winner to extend Sunderland’s unbeaten run at home to 11 Premier League games.

Guehi was not named in the Palace squad as he closes in on a switch to Manchester City and Sunderland enjoyed a positive start to the match, forcing the visitors to clear multiple deliveries into the box.

The Eagles had an excellent opportunity, however, when Pino latched onto a mis-hit pass in midfield and surged forward, playing in Jean-Philippe Mateta, but the striker was denied by goalkeeper Robin Roefs.

An open game saw Trai Hume’s awkward cross bounce into the path of Brobbey, who could not connect, and the hosts came close when Le Fee whipped in a corner in but Hume’s header went just wide of the upright.

Palace opened the scoring on the half-hour mark when Will Hughes’ corner was punched away by Roefs and the ball bounced into the path of Pino, who lofted a first-time finish into the top corner.

However, Sunderland responded just three minutes later when Granit Xhaka picked out Nordi Mukiele charging down the right and the defender played a low pass into an unmarked Le Fee in the centre of the box and he coolly fired into the bottom corner.

The visitors came close to regaining the lead when Mateta fired a brilliant cross into Tyrick Mitchell and the defender’s powerful header whizzed past a post before Dean Henderson collected a Dan Ballard header at the other end.

Mateta had the ball in the net in first-half stoppage-time with a fierce strike, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Pino curled a free-kick over the crossbar and Henderson dived to stop Hume’s header as both sides enjoyed early opportunities in the second half.

Sunderland remained in control, though, with Mukiele looking particularly threatening down the right and the game became slightly scrappy with three yellow cards brandished in quick succession.

The Black Cats eventually pounced in the 71st minute when Brobbey latched onto Noah Sadiki’s through ball and hit a brilliant strike with the outside of his boot which smashed off the underside of the bar and into the net for his fourth Premier League goal.

Brobbey almost turned provider after stabbing the ball into Hume, but the Northern Ireland international was denied by a stunning one-handed save from Henderson.

Roefs punched away Pino’s corner and Henderson made two excellent stops to deny Eliezer Mayenda and Ballard in quick succession in the 90th minute.