Advertisement
Black Cats

Di Canio honeymoon period continues with win over Toffees

Sunderland are up to 14th while Wigan lost to West Ham and Newcastle drew with West Brom.

Di Canio at the final whistle Credit: Steve Drew/EMPICS Sport

PAOLO DI CANIO enjoyed a second successive win as Sunderland manager as his new club overcame Everton 1-0 to pull six points clear of the drop zone and leave a dent in Everton’s aspirations of qualifying for European football.

Stephane Sessegnon claimed the only goal of the game on the stroke of half-time, beating Tim Howard with a low strike from 20 yards after Leighton Baines conceded possession.

QPR are above Reading on goal difference alone after a 2-0 loss at home to Stoke City, who claimed a first win in eight games to ease their own relegation fears.

Peter Crouch put the visitors ahead from strike partner Cameron Jerome’s cut-back shortly before half-time, with Jon Walters adding a second from a twice-taken penalty after a foul on Crouch by Clint Hill.

The defeats for the bottom two mean that both sides could be relegated as early as Monday, but only if fourth-bottom Aston Villa win at leaders Manchester United.

Credit: Feint Zebra

Wigan Athletic spurned an opportunity to move level on points with Villa after a 2-0 defeat at West Ham United left the FA Cup finalists in the bottom three.

Matthew Jarvis broke the deadlock in the 21st minute with a left-wing cross that crept into the bottom-right corner and captain Kevin Nolan sealed victory 10 minutes from time by hooking home from an Andy Carroll flick-on to register his 100th career goal.

Meanwhile, Newcastle United slipped three places to 16th after Billy Jones cancelled out Yoan Gouffran’s early header to earn West Bromwich Albion a 1-1 draw at The Hawthorns.

Newcastle are six points clear of the bottom three, three points above Villa and behind Stoke and Sunderland on goal difference.

In the day’s other game, Swansea City and Southampton played out a goalless draw in their mid-table tussle at the Liberty Stadium.

Mertesacker heads Gunners into 3rd after two red cards

5 things Arsene Wenger could be running away from