adminConnor Wickham continued his rich vein of scoring form, finding the net twice to help Sunderland climb out of the bottom three thanks to a 4-0 win over fellow Premier League strugglers Cardiff City.
The Welshmen replaced the Wearside club in propping-up the division after Wickham made it five goals in three games.
He also earned a penalty converted by Fabio Borini to double the hosts’ lead in first-half stoppage time at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.
A priceless win for Gus Poyet’s side saw them climb to 17th, out of the bottom three for the first time in more than two months with three games remaining.
That gave Sunderland renewed hope of beating the drop thanks to a return of seven points from the last possible nine.
Sunderland travel next to Manchester United, before welcoming West Brom and Swansea in the final week of the season as they close-in on the 36-point safety mark set by head coach Poyet.
They will go to Old Trafford with confidence high after Wickham pounced for the fourth goal with four minutes remaining, again evading the attentions of Theophile-Catherine to head home via a slight deflection off the hapless defender from a Giaccherini corner.
It was a rather more bleak picture for Cardiff, who were forced to play the second half with 10 men after defender Juan Cala was sent off.
Given their goal-difference, they are effectively three points adrift of safety with just two games remaining. They make an immediate return to the north-east of England next week at out of form Newcastle, before finishing the campaign at home to Chelsea on May 11. — Sapa AP
Online Reporter