Swansea vs Sunderland: Five memorable meetings including Jermain Defoe’s hat-trick and a dream debut

A famous 7-2 victory more than half a century ago tops the list of best previous encounters between the Wearsiders and the Swans.

Here, we look back at that goal-fest from 1961, along with four of the other most memorable meetings of Sunderland and Swansea.

Sunderland 7 – 2 Swansea – December 9, 1961

Before Alf Inge Haaland and Phil Foden’s parents were even born, hat-tricks from Brian Clough and Ambrose Fogarty at Roker Park saw Sunderland move up to third in what is now the Championship.

Swansea had taken a 1-0 lead before it all went downhill for the Lilywhites – despite trailing (to Fogarty’s first two goals) only 2-1 at half-time.

While Sunderland legend Charlie Hurley bossed things at the back, Clough ran riot after the break, scoring three times in 13 minutes, before Harry Hooper and Fogarty rounded off the scoring.

Wonder who went home with the match ball . . .

Sunderland 0 - 2 Swansea City – May 13, 2017

Sunderland’s most recent fixture against Swansea was a far more sombre affair, as the Black Cats said goodbye to the Premier League with a dismal home defeat.

First-half goals from Fernando Llorente and Kyle Naughton provided a grim sign-off to not only life in the top flight, but the Wearside reign of manager David Moyes.

Other mostly unpopular names in Sunderland’s modern history - club record signing Didier N’Dong, £25 million-rated Lamine Koné, Victor Anichebe and Billy Jones – were involved on the pitch that day.

Swansea 2 – 4 Sunderland – January 13, 2016

Jermain Defoe’s hat-trick and an ex-Newcastle player Federico Fernandez own goal gave a huge boost to Sunderland’s Premier League survival fight under Sam Allardyce.

At half-time, the Black Cats looked destined to be cast adrift in the top flight’s bottom two, after Gylfi Sigurdsson’s dubiously awarded penalty and Andrew Ayew canceled out Defoe’s early goal – despite Kyle Naughton’s controversial red card.

But then a Patrick van Aanholt shot deflected in off Fernandez, and a clearly offside Defoe fired Sunderland ahead.

After Defoe then slid home Van Aanholt’s cross to make certain of the win, Swansea boss Alan Curtis directed a furious post-match blast at the officials.

Sunderland 1 – 3 Swansea – May 11, 2014

On a bittersweet day, Sunderland fell to defeat at home, but their fans were too busy celebrating Premier League survival to really care.

Gus Poyet had pulled off his “Great Escape” with victories at Chelsea and Manchester United, and a midweek 2-0 win over West Brom just four days earlier.

But Sunderland, with the likes of Santiago Vergini, Connor Whickham, Liam Bridcutt and Phil Bardsley all starting, could not round the season off in style, as Nathan Dyer and Marvin Emnes fired Swansea into an early 2-0 lead.

And no sooner had Fabio Borini responded for the Black Cats than Wilfried Bony scored to secure the Swans a 12th-placed finish – two spots above Sunderland.

Swansea 2 – 2 Sunderland – September 1, 2012

A dream debut amid three goals in the final five minutes of a dramatic second half had seemingly set Sunderland up for victory at the Liberty Stadium until the intervention of Michu.

Steven Fletcher struck twice on his Black Cats’ debut either side of Wayne Routledge’s equaliser in a manic spell just before half-time.

But once Michu had headed Swansea level again midway through the second half, even the dismissal of home centre-back Chico Flores – for catching Louis Saha with a high boot - could not tip the game back in favour of a Sunderland side also featuring Carlos Cuellar and Stephane Sessengnon.