Sunderland's Jermain Defoe celebrates at the end of their Premier League win over Chelsea on Saturday. Ian MacNicol / Getty Images / May 7, 2016
Sunderland's Jermain Defoe celebrates at the end of their Premier League win over Chelsea on Saturday. Ian MacNicol / Getty Images / May 7, 2016

For Sunderland, ‘our destiny is in our hands’ as survival becomes more certain



Sunderland climbed out of the Premier League relegation zone by coming from behind to beat Chelsea 3-2 on Saturday.

The hosts were 2-1 down to Chelsea, last season’s champions, before two goals in three second-half minutes from Fabio Borini and Jermain Defoe dramatically turned the match their way.

Sunderland fell behind in the 14th minute through striker Diego Costa.

But they were level four minutes before the break when Tunisia’s Wahbi Khazri struck a brilliant 20-yard volley.

However, there was still time for Chelsea to regain the lead before half-time through Nemanja Matic.

• Read more: Newcastle United, in a show of timidity, see their survival chances sink

• Also see: Jermain Defoe and Sunderland fight for their lives against Chelsea – in pictures

Borini then turned in Patrick van Aanholt’s cut-back in the 67th minute and Defoe made it 3-2 when he seized on a cross into the box.

Chelsea’s defeat was made worse when skipper John Terry was sent off late on.

Victory saw Sunderland go a point in front of Newcastle United, who have played one game more than their north-east rivals and could only manage a goalless draw with already-relegated Aston Villa on Saturday.

If Sunderland win at home to Everton on Wednesday, they will stay up and relegate both Newcastle and Norwich City in the process.

"Our destiny is in our hands and a win against Everton will secure our Premier League future," Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce told Sky Sports. "It will be difficult but we have an opportunity to achieve it, let's hope we can.

“Since the turn of the year we’ve been so near yet so far from so many victories, but today, for a change, we’ve come from being behind twice and come back to win the game and it shows the character of the players.”

Second-bottom Norwich moved closer to the drop after a 1-0 loss at home to Manchester United, with Juan Mata's 72nd-minute goal proving decisive at Carrow Road.

Norwich’s defeat meant they had lost four league games in a row – all without scoring a goal.

“We have to stop making errors but it is a bit late in the day,” said Norwich manager Alex Neil.

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