Jermain Defoe’s 18th goal of the season lifted Sunderland out of the Premier League relegation zone as 10-man Chelsea twice squandered the lead on Wearside.
Newcastle’s failure to beat Aston Villa means the Wearside club will secure a 10th consecutive season of Premier League football if they beat Roberto Martinez side at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday. Anything less, and it will go to the final day, when they travel to Watford, Newcastle host Tottenham, and Norwich, who remain in with a chance of survival, face Everton.
Defoe struck 20 minutes from time – his first at the Stadium of Light since January 2 – to settle a five-goal thriller after first Wahbi Khazri and then Fabio Borini had cancelled out efforts from Diego Costa and Nemanja Matic with Blues skipper John Terry receiving his marching orders at the death for a second bookable offence.
Fabio Borini sparked the comeback, driving the ball home from the edge of the area with the aid of a significant deflection off Terry, who stood in front of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Before Chelsea had time to recover their composure, they were behind for the first time on an afternoon of high drama, the visitors failing to deal with De Andre Yedlin’s 70th minute cross to allow Jermain Defoe the luxury of a first touch a dozen yards from goal. With the second, the forward found the bottom corner for his 15th goal of the season.
Mannone produced three vital saves after the break to provide a platform from which Sunderland pushed on for a priceless victory. The Italian blocked from Costa, who had been put through one-one-one, before again denying the Spaniard after a move inspired by Eden Hazard and Fabregas had carved the hosts open. After Borini and Defoe had struck, Mannone protected his side’s lead with a fingertip save to divert Willian’s goal-bound free-kick.
Terry, who had earlier been booked for a foul on Defoe, felled Khazri in stoppage time and was sent off.
Given Terry does not have a contract for next season, he could now have played his final game for Chelsea.
The final whistle, and confirmation of Newcastle’s stalemate at Villa Park, saw the Stadium of Light explode with relief and jubilation
