Sunderland played out a hard-fought 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon
On paper, a trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon represented Sunderland’s most fiendish challenge of the the Premier League season so far. Maybe it was, but it was also a game in which they battled hard for a well-earned point and exhibited a grit that could prove integral if they are to secure survival this term.
The Eagles had been on an imperious run of 14 matches unbeaten across all competitions prior to the Black Cats’ arrival at Selhurst Park, winning both the FA Cup and the Community Shield over the course of that august stretch, and will perhaps feel that they should have tasted victory here too, but a hard-fought display from Regis Le Bris’ visitors, aided by some sublime goalkeeping and a smattering of suspect finishing, ultimately saw them to a sharing of the spoils.
Sunderland’s first hurdle of the afternoon came in the form of an unexpectedly absent Enzo Le Fée. The Frenchman had put in one of his finest displays in a red and white shirt to date against Brentford just prior to the international break, but was nowhere to be seen when team news dropped at quarter to two, replaced instead by Simon Adingra as head coach Regis Le Bris confirmed that he had sustained a “small injury” on Friday. Elsewhere, Eliezer Mayenda was rotated out of the XI at the point of attack, with Wilson Isidor justly given the nod after a brace of strikes across his first three top flight outings.
The Frenchman didn’t have to wait long for his first fleeting glimpse of goal either; had he been an inch or two taller, he may well have got a toe to a wicked Habib Diarra cutback in the second minute. That half chance set the tone for the next few minutes - as the sun beat down on South London and the drums from the Holmesdale Road Stand pounded relentlessly, the visitors settled into a decent period of possession, shifting the ball with confidence and purpose.
Steadily, however, Palace would find their footing. First, Jefferson Lerma skied a shot from range, and Daichi Kamada had a tentative penalty shout calmly waved away by referee Thomas Bramall. Omar Alderete was the man who tangled with the Japanese international, and the Paraguayan would be involved again moments later when he was scythed down by Daniel Munoz partway into the home side’s half. The indefatigable Noah Sadiki would scamper through on goal from the resulting free kick, but his lashed effort rocketed comfortably high and wide.
As the half progressed, Sunderland - in much the same way they did against Brentford prior to the international break - found themselves in the relatively unfamiliar role of proponents, dictating the tempo of proceedings and pawing for an opening to exploits in well-drilled defensive unit. In turn, Palace began to pose a lingering threat on the break, waiting patiently for an opportunity to pick off Le Bris’ men, and the Eagles came within inches of carving out a breakthrough when Yeremy Pino, operating with all the foreboding mischief of a poltergeist between the lines, picked up the ball 20 yards out and arrowed an effort just beyond Robin Roefs’ far post.
The tricky Spaniard would go even closer in the 35th minute. After a period in which Palace had wrestled back a modicum of control - starving the ever-influential Granit Xhaka of possession somewhat and forcing their visitors back - a single, simple through ball sliced through the heart of Sunderland’s defence and found the Selhurst Park new boy in an embarrassment of space. For all the world, it looked as if Pino had poked Palace into a lead, but his shot trickled incalculably past the upright. I believe the technical terminology is “let-off”.
The Black Cats were not to be dampened, though. What followed was a flurry of harem-scarem moments for the hosts as Chemsdine Talbi had a close-ranged drive admirably blocked at the back stick and Adingra almost lobbed Dean Henderson from distance. Whether he meant to or not is a matter of discussion.
Less uncertain, however, was that as the half-time whistle sounded, Sunderland had equipped themselves very well against a high calibre opponent, but were still mightily lucky not to have headed down the tunnel behind.
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Post-interval, the heavens opened, and Sunderland had a moment of borderline divinity from Roefs and Alderete to thank for the preservation of their parity. A precise ball across the face of goal from Tyrick Mitchell was turned goalwards by the stretching Jean-Philippe Mateta, forcing the big Dutchman to collapse his towering frame in an effort to keep it out, before his centre-half stuck out a heel to deflect a follow-up up and over the crossbar.
Again Sunderland were fortunate to be level, but again they rallied. The ever-influential Granit Xhaka seized the midfield battle by the scruff of the neck as Sadiki buzzed and harried around him, and after a couple of trademark howitzer throw-ins from Nordi Mukiele, the next shot on goal would the Black Cats’ - although truthfully, Isidor’s shanked volley never looked like prompting Henderson into action.
As the turf grew softer, the contest became bogged down in a holding pattern of sorts; Palace probing, Alderete and Mukiele thwarting and spiting with committed vigilance, the home crowd spurred on vociferously by that ceaseless drum in the home end.
A change felt necessary, inevitable even, and with a little over 20 minutes left on the clock, Le Bris rolled his dice for the first time; Brian Brobbey - Sunderland’s new, hulking number nine - emerged from the dugout. Adingra made way, Isidor was shunted out to the left. A flighted attempt from Diarra moments later had nothing to do with either, but hinted that the Black Cats were still showing signs of life.
Were it not for Roefs again, that vitality might have been snuffed out almost immediately. Kamada popped in a dangerous position and crashed a shot towards the bottom right-hand corner, only to see a great orange limb spring out at the very last second to parry it behind. Even the home faithful were moved to applause.
With 10 minutes to go, the rain eased and Sunderland, finish line in sight, began to dig in. Lutsharel Geertruida, a defender with a propensity for moonlighting at the base of midfield, replaced Sadiki as the men in black edged further and further back towards their own net. More than once Roefs stood tall again as the hosts looked to turn the screw, batting away a stinger from Palace debutant Christantus Uche and soaring high to his left to deny a curler from Will Hughes, surely destined for the top corner.
By the time the final whistle finally pierced a tumultuous afternoon in SE25, Sunderland’s box had been besieged by a salvo of artillery fire from the hosts. The Black Cats may have been bowed at times on Saturday, but they remained unbroken, and Le Bris and his men can surely take plenty of positives from the resilience and tenacity they displayed against an opponent well-versed at the highest level.
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