Match ends, Sunderland 0, Bournemouth 1.
SunderlandSunderland0BournemouthAFC Bournemouth1
Sunderland's 10-year stay in the Premier League ended as Bournemouth scored a late winner at the Stadium of Light.
The result coupled with Hull City's draw at Southampton means David Moyes' side are 13 points behind the Tigers with four games left.
The defeat, Sunderland's 23rd of the season, means the Black Cats are relegated from the Premier League for a joint-record fourth time in Moyes' first season in charge.
Bournemouth's Joshua King scored the only goal with just two minutes left, tapping home from Ryan Fraser's pass.
The Norwegian had also gone close in the 20th minute, but his shot rebounded off the post and crossbar and into the arms of Jordan Pickford.
Bournemouth goalkeeper Artur Boruc saved from Jermain Defoe in the first half, and Fabio Borini and George Honeyman in the second, but the Black Cats failed to sustain any real pressure.
- Too soon to commit to Sunderland - Moyes
- What next for 'worn-down' Moyes?
- Relive Sunderland 0-1 Bournemouth
- Shearer: I fear for relegated Sunderland
A run of remarkable survivals comes to an end
Sunderland needed to at least match Hull's result against Southampton to survive another week and were doing so - despite another lacklustre performance - until the 88th minute.
Southampton won a penalty at St Mary's in the closing stages which, if converted, would have seen Sunderland survive for now - but Eldin Jakupovic saved from Dusan Tadic.
Seconds earlier, Moyes' side had been hit on the counter for the winning goal, with Fraser sprinting clear before finding the in-form King, who made no mistake to score his 12th goal of 2017.
Sunderland again failed to score, for the 18th time in 34 league games this season, with just five of their 17 shots on target and few clear opportunities created.
The club have made a habit of remarkable survivals in their time in the Premier League, but the Black Cats' luck has run out and Moyes is relegated for the first time as a manager.
Sorry season for Sunderland
Little has gone right for Sunderland since Sam Allardyce - who saved the club from relegation last season with just one defeat in their final 10 games - was named England manager in late July.
Moyes was named as his replacement a day later but, after just two games of the season, told the fans to expect a relegation battle.
The Scot was left with little time to bring in summer recruits but those he did bring in - the majority his former players at Manchester United and Everton - have disappointed.
Their first win did not come until November but they followed it with three victories in their next six games in a brief glimmer of success, largely built around Defoe's goals.
Since then, Sunderland have won just once in 17 games and Defoe is without a goal in 10 club games.
Black Cats fans have grown increasingly frustrated at Moyes' results, and what they consider his negative attitude and demeanour throughout the season, with chants for him to leave being heard in recent weeks.
Bournemouth break 40-point barrier
Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe said his side were not at their fluent best in the game but the win moves the Cherries up to 10th in the Premier League and onto 41 points.
While it does not mathematically ensure survival, Bournemouth are almost certain of a third successive Premier League season in 2017-18.
They are also just a point behind the 42 points they achieved in their debut top-flight season with three games left.
That total saw them finish 16th and an improvement this year would see Howe lead the club to their highest league finish for a fourth season in a row.
The comparison to Sunderland was stark, as the away side, while not at their best, looked much sharper and dominated the ball with 59% of the possession.
'I feel for the supporters' - manager reaction
Sunderland manager David Moyes: "It summed up our season. We played well for long parts. We had four or five good opportunities and did a good job.
"We're all disappointed and I feel more for the supporters. We take collective responsibility from top to bottom.
"We'll dust ourselves down and see what we have to do.
"I don't know what words you can say to the players. I told them they fought for the jersey. Because of that it's difficult to fault them.
"We're disappointed with the level of performance all season. We'll do everything we can to get it right."
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe: "It was a scrappy game from our perspective. I wasn't happy with the way we played but happy with the result.
"Josh King has worked incredibly hard and shows great attitude every day. Technically he is a great player and it is nice to see him score.
"The second season is harder, having gone through it. The first season is a novelty, in the second there is expectation.
"It's a real achievement to get 40 points."
Man of the match - Joshua King
Sunderland's goalless record - the best stats
- Since their last promotion to the Premier League in 2007, Sunderland have failed to score in 139 top-flight matches - at least 25 more than any other side in that time.
- The Black Cats have failed to score in 11 of their past 13 Premier League games.
- Josh King scored his 15th Premier League goal of the season - only the second Norwegian to reach this number in a single campaign after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 1996-97 and 2001-02.
- The Cherries won their first away league game of 2017, last winning on the road at Swansea on 31 December.
What's next?
With nothing but pride to play for, Sunderland travel to Hull on Saturday, 6 May (15:00 BST) while Bournemouth host Stoke at the same time.
Line-ups
Sunderland
Formation 4-1-3-2
- 13Pickford
- 22Love
- 23Koné
- 16O'Shea
- 21Manquillo
- 17Ndong
- 9BoriniBooked at 76mins
- 20PienaarBooked at 46minsSubstituted forHoneymanat 55'minutes
- 10KhazriBooked at 78mins
- 28Anichebe
- 18Defoe
Substitutes
- 1Mannone
- 5Djilobodji
- 15Lescott
- 39Honeyman
- 40Embleton
- 44Januzaj
- 46Gooch
Bournemouth
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Boruc
- 15A Smith
- 2Francis
- 3S Cook
- 11Daniels
- 24FraserSubstituted forGradelat 90'minutes
- 8ArterBooked at 76mins
- 18L CookBooked at 33mins
- 7PughSubstituted forMoussetat 82'minutes
- 17King
- 9AfobeSubstituted forStanislasat 57'minutes
Substitutes
- 10Gradel
- 14B Smith
- 19Stanislas
- 21Allsop
- 26Mings
- 31Mousset
- 33Ibe
- Referee:
- Stuart Attwell
- Attendance:
- 38,394
Match Stats
Home TeamSunderlandAway TeamBournemouth
- Possession
- Home41%
- Away59%
- Shots
- Home17
- Away15
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away7
- Corners
- Home6
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Sunderland 0, Bournemouth 1.
Post update
Foul by Lys Mousset (Bournemouth).
Post update
George Honeyman (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Bournemouth. Max Gradel replaces Ryan Fraser.
Post update
Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by George Honeyman (Sunderland).
Goal!
Goal! Sunderland 0, Bournemouth 1. Joshua King (Bournemouth) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ryan Fraser following a fast break.
Post update
Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Steve Cook.
Post update
Attempt missed. Jermain Defoe (Sunderland) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Lamine Koné with a headed pass following a set piece situation.
Post update
Foul by Lys Mousset (Bournemouth).
Post update
Donald Love (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Offside, Sunderland. Donald Love tries a through ball, but Jermain Defoe is caught offside.
Post update
Attempt saved. Donald Love (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Lamine Koné (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Post update
Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Charlie Daniels.
Post update
Attempt missed. Victor Anichebe (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Post update
Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Adam Smith.
Substitution
Substitution, Bournemouth. Lys Mousset replaces Marc Pugh.
Post update
Foul by Joshua King (Bournemouth).
Comments
Join the conversation
Well done Bournemouth btw.
Years of their below average football in the prem come to an end. Sunderland need to take a look at that club from top to bottom and work out how they can make it a viable premiership club again. Right now they look every bit a championship team and can't see that changing soon. They simply haven't learnt from years of relegation threat.
markthelegendkid. You are as my old mother used to say, "daft as a brush".
Well done AFCB. Another year in the premier league for a small team with heart.
Good luck next year Sunderland. You have loyal fans who deserve better.
If the BBC wont ban him then may I suggest a little self regulation, ignore all his posts and don't rate any of his posts.
The site is a forum to post comments on the article published and if he can't post anything sensible just ignore him.
Premier league is a joke.
And yet you spent a full five minutes identifying the 20 letters needed for your post and then taking your thumb out of your moith so you could type with it.......keep going and one day you'll write the complete works of Shakespeare!