Sunderland's win at Norwich City a huge statement to promotion rivals - fan blog

The TV pundits would have you know that there was an air of expectancy of a Norwich win against Sunderland, and a move back into the top five for David Wagner’s re-birthed side.

Yet, from a Sunderland perspective, some perhaps felt that something was on the horizon. They simply needed a response after last weekend’s calamity, and this presented the perfect opportunity to bounce back.

Much has been said over the past few days about their next four matches; four teams within the top seven looked a daunting prospect for Tony Mowbray’s side, but in the first one of those tough outings, it was the complete team performance that the ‘gaffer’ had been asking for.

For all Norwich could keep hold of the ball (73% possession would be the end statistic), they did very little to harm Anthony Patterson’s goal. Once Premier League goal scorer, Teemu Pukki, huffed and puffed, whilst Marcelino Nunez’s impact in the centre of the park was largely nullified.

One moment shifted the game in the away favour. Abdoullah Ba’s first goal for the club was so important, as his superb low strike fizzled into the bottom corner.

However, this performance was much more about the defensive work around their own penalty area, than it was in the other 18-yard box.

After conceding nine goals in their last three matches, this was far from the side that had been so brutally exposed on those occasions. Danny Batth and Dan Ballard orchestrated a superb defensive performance that earned the former Sky’s player of the match.

In truth, you could have chosen any of those in a red-and-white shirt for that accolade. But for Sunderland, the significance of this result is not to be understated, and nor will it be on Wearside.

After a few weeks of frustration and disappointment, this was very much Sunderland’s statement to the league that they’re still alive and kicking in the play-off hunt.