Premier League
SunderlandSunderland3ChelseaChelsea2

Sunderland 3-2 Chelsea

By Chris BevanBBC Sport
Sunderland 3-2 Chelsea: Black Cats showed 'immense character' - Sam Allardyce

Sunderland climbed out of the bottom three after two goals in three second-half minutes saw them fight back for a dramatic win over Chelsea.

Diego Costa's precise finish gave the Blues the lead but Wahbi Khazri levelled with a spectacular volley.

Nemanja Matic found space to restore Chelsea's lead before Sunderland turned the game on its head after the break.

Fabio Borini beat Thibaut Courtois with a deflected shot, before Jermain Defoe swivelled to score a vital winner.

Relive Sunderland v Chelsea

Reaction to Saturday's Premier League matches

Banned Terry to miss Chelsea run-in

Chelsea captain John Terry was sent off for a second booking before the final whistle, with the end of the game bringing scenes of celebration from the Sunderland players and fans.

Bottom of the Premier League

With Newcastle held by Aston Villa and Norwich losing to Manchester United, Sunderland will stay up if they win one of their final two matches of the season.

Sunderland 3-2 Chelsea: John Terry sending off 'over the top' - Guus Hiddink

The Black Cats host Everton on Wednesday, and are away to Watford on the final day.

Defoe does the trick - again

Jermain Defoe celebrates after scoring Sunderland's winner
Defoe was booked for removing his shirt as he celebrated scoring Sunderland's winner - it was only his fourth league goal at the Stadium of Light in 2015-16, and the first time he has found the net there since 2 January

Jermain Defoe has now scored 15 of Sunderland's 40 goals this season, and his goals have earned 14 of their 35 points.

The former England striker showed again how vital he is to their survival hopes with the way he took his winner after 70 minutes.

Until then, Defoe had been frustrated all afternoon, with his only effort to reach goal a header against the post that would not have counted anyway, because the flag was already up.

Jermain Defoe touches vs Chelsea
Jermain Defoe touched the ball 24 times during his side's win over Chelsea, fewer than any other player from either side to play 90 minutes. Apart from his winner, he had only two other legitimate shots at goal and both were blocked by defenders

But when Deandre Yedlin's cross was deflected into his path, Defoe made no mistake - taking a touch to bring the ball under control, then burying it into the net.

"To win the game like that was special," said Defoe. "It's been a while since I scored at home but, as a forward, it doesn't matter where you score - it's important that you score."

Black Cats boss Sam Allardyce added: "You give Jermain a chance and generally he at least hits the target.

"We've crawled out of the bottom three by the number of goals that he's scored. Without him I dread to think where we would be as a team."

Jermain Defoe scores Sunderland's winner
Defoe has now scored 15 goals this season - his second-best tally after the 18 he hit for Tottenham in 2009-10

Will we see Terry play for Chelsea again?

John Terry's late dismissal for a second booking means his season is over.

The 35-year-old may also have played his final game for Chelsea, after 483 Premier League appearances over the past 17 years.

Terry could have few complaints for being sent off - following up the foul on Defoe that brought his first yellow card after 86 minutes with a late lunge on Khazri deep in stoppage time that meant he saw red.

John Terry's challenge on Wahbi Khazri that saw him shown his second yellow card
John Terry's challenge on Wahbi Khazri that saw him shown his second yellow card

It was the second time the Chelsea captain has been sent off this season, which means he will be banned for both of his side's remaining games - away at Liverpool on Wednesday and at home to champions Leicester on 15 May.

Terry's contract expires in the summer, and in February he said he had not been offered a new deal - although the Blues interim boss Guus Hiddink said at the time it was possible that Terry could stay.

Man of the match - Vito Mannone

Sunderland keeper Vito Mannone
Defoe scored the decisive goal but he was not his side's stand-out performer. That was goalkeeper Vito Mannone, who made two brilliant second-half blocks from Diego Costa to keep his side in the game with the score at 2-1

The stats you need to know

  • Gary Cahill was booked after 44 seconds, the second quickest booking in the Premier League this season (Max Gradel, 37 seconds, for Bournemouth v Leicester in August).
  • Diego Costa has been involved in 14 goals in his last 14 Premier League games for Chelsea (nine goals, five assists).
  • Wahbi Khazri ended a run of nine Premier League games without providing either a goal or assist.
  • Fabio Borini has scored in each of his last three Premier League appearances against Chelsea for Sunderland (three goals).
  • Jermain Defoe has scored 18 goals in all competitions this season, 13 more than any other Sunderland player.
  • Chelsea have conceded 50+ goals in a Premier League season (51) for the first time since 1996-97 when they conceded 55.

Line-ups

Sunderland

Formation 4-1-4-1

  • 25Mannone
  • 24Yedlin
  • 23KonéSubstituted forO'Sheaat 55'minutes
  • 15KaboulBooked at 87mins
  • 3van Aanholt
  • 27KirchhoffSubstituted forWatmoreat 64'minutes
  • 9Borini
  • 6CattermoleBooked at 52minsSubstituted forLarssonat 71'minutesBooked at 88mins
  • 21M'Vila
  • 22Khazri
  • 18DefoeBooked at 70mins

Substitutes

  • 7Larsson
  • 8Rodwell
  • 10N'Doye
  • 13Pickford
  • 16O'Shea
  • 17Lens
  • 41Watmore

Chelsea

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 13Courtois
  • 2IvanovicSubstituted forBabaat 68'minutes
  • 24CahillBooked at 1mins
  • 26TerryBooked at 90mins
  • 28Azpilicueta
  • 12MikelSubstituted forTraoreat 83'minutes
  • 21Matic
  • 22WillianSubstituted forOscarat 80'minutes
  • 4Fàbregas
  • 10E Hazard
  • 19Diego Costa

Substitutes

  • 1Begovic
  • 6Baba
  • 8Oscar
  • 11Da Silva
  • 14Traore
  • 16Kenedy
  • 36Loftus-Cheek
Referee:
Mike Jones
Attendance:
47,050

Match Stats

Home TeamSunderlandAway TeamChelsea
Possession
Home31%
Away69%
Shots
Home14
Away9
Shots on Target
Home4
Away8
Corners
Home3
Away3
Fouls
Home11
Away9

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Sunderland 3, Chelsea 2.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Sunderland 3, Chelsea 2.

  3. Post update

    Attempt saved. Bertrand Traore (Chelsea) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Eden Hazard with a headed pass.

  4. Post update

    Offside, Sunderland. Jermain Defoe tries a through ball, but Wahbi Khazri is caught offside.

  5. Dismissal

    Second yellow card to John Terry (Chelsea) for a bad foul.

  6. Post update

    Foul by John Terry (Chelsea).

  7. Post update

    Wahbi Khazri (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  8. Post update

    Attempt missed. Fabio Borini (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Yann M'Vila.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Baba Rahman (Chelsea).

  10. Post update

    Duncan Watmore (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  11. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Cesc Fàbregas (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

  12. Post update

    Diego Costa (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  13. Post update

    Foul by John O'Shea (Sunderland).

  14. Booking

    Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  15. Post update

    Eden Hazard (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  16. Post update

    Foul by Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland).

  17. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Younes Kaboul (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Yann M'Vila.

  18. Booking

    Younes Kaboul (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card.

  19. Booking

    John Terry (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  20. Post update

    Foul by John Terry (Chelsea).

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Leicester372311367353280
2Tottenham361913467283970
3Arsenal361910759342567
4Man City361971068383064
5Man Utd36189944311363
6West Ham361514761471459
7Southampton361691153391457
8Liverpool3515101059481155
9Chelsea361212125751648
10Stoke37139153954-1548
11Swansea371210154151-1046
12Everton361014125652444
13Watford35128153642-644
14Crystal Palace37119173847-942
15West Brom371012153347-1442
16Bournemouth37119174464-2042
17Sunderland36811174360-1735
18Newcastle37810193964-2534
19Norwich3687213562-2731
20Aston Villa3738262772-4517
View full Premier League table

Elsewhere on the BBC