JERMAIN DEFOE SCORED two late goals as Sunderland beat Aston Villa 2-1 to boost their hopes of beating the drop and ensure the visitors remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table.
Villa were the better side for long periods at the Stadium of Light, frustrating the home team and fans alike.
But Garde lacked the cutting edge provided by former England striker Defoe, who scored in the 72nd minute and then again in stoppage time as Sunderland ended a run of five successive defeats.
Defeat for Villa, for whom Carles Gil cancelled out Patrick van Aanholt’s deflected opener, leaves them 11 points from safety and without a league win in 19 games.
Sunderland are now just four points adrift of 17th-placed Swansea and will now have renewed hope of pulling off another great relegation escape for a third season running.
Meanwhile, Riyad Mahrez missed a penalty as Leicester City lost ground at the top of the Premier League by being held to a 0-0 draw by 10-man Bournemouth.
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Josh King headed wide from a great Bournemouth chance, while Jamie Vardy hit the post for Leicester in an end-to-end first half. The hosts were much stronger after the break, but Mahrez’s spot-kick was saved by Artur Boruc after Simon Francis had been sent off for a challenge on Vardy.
Mahrez's penalty miss proved costly for the Foxes. Nigel French
Nigel French
Despite their numerical advantage, Leicester could not find a winner, as they failed to score or win for the third consecutive match.
Claudio Ranieri’s men now trail leaders Arsenal by two points, while Bournemouth – who have only lost one of their last eight games – extend their cushion over the bottom three to four points.
Alex Tettey sealed a 1-0 win for Norwich City over 10-man Southampton at Carrow Road to move the hosts six points clear of the drop zone.
Both sides probed brightly during the first half, with Norwich striker Dieumerci Mbokani and his Southampton counterpart Shane Long both passing up opportunities to break the deadlock.
This gave way to more attritional fare after the break but the game turned when Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama was sent off for the second time this season for two bookable offences.
Ronald Koeman’s team were forced to operate with reduced numbers from the 73rd minute and the Dutchman – who dropped star forward Sadio Mane to the bench for missing a team meeting – watched them fall behind three minutes later.
Norway midfielder Tettey, whose first goal of the campaign came in Norwich’s shock 2-0 win at Manchester United sidefooted coolly in the top corner in stark contrast to Wanyama’s hot-headedness.
It wasn't a good day for Shane Long or Southampton. PA Wire / PA Images
PA Wire / PA Images / PA Images
Norwich have now won three of their past four matches to build up a healthy cushion between themselves and the bottom three, while Southampton are only a point above their opponents – last week’s 4-0 romp against leaders Arsenal standing as their only win in eight attempts.
Finally, Jonny Evans struck in injury time to earn West Brom and manager Tony Pulis a 2-1 win over the Welshman’s old team Stoke City.
Mark Hughes’ Potters, having struggled to respond to Stephane Sessegnon’s 60th-minute opener, thought they had earned a point when Jonathan Walters powered home the equaliser with nine minutes to go at The Hawthorns.
Stoke then lost Geoff Cameron to a harsh red card two minutes after restoring parity, prompting a West Brom onslaught that produced a dramatic winner, Evans stabbing home his first goal for the club from close range after the visitors failed to clear a corner.
The result sees Pulis’ men climb to within three points of 10th-placed Stoke and they are now nine clear of the relegation zone.
Jermain Defoe piles more misery on Aston Villa as Leicester slip-up
JERMAIN DEFOE SCORED two late goals as Sunderland beat Aston Villa 2-1 to boost their hopes of beating the drop and ensure the visitors remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table.
Villa were the better side for long periods at the Stadium of Light, frustrating the home team and fans alike.
But Garde lacked the cutting edge provided by former England striker Defoe, who scored in the 72nd minute and then again in stoppage time as Sunderland ended a run of five successive defeats.
Defeat for Villa, for whom Carles Gil cancelled out Patrick van Aanholt’s deflected opener, leaves them 11 points from safety and without a league win in 19 games.
Sunderland are now just four points adrift of 17th-placed Swansea and will now have renewed hope of pulling off another great relegation escape for a third season running.
Meanwhile, Riyad Mahrez missed a penalty as Leicester City lost ground at the top of the Premier League by being held to a 0-0 draw by 10-man Bournemouth.
Josh King headed wide from a great Bournemouth chance, while Jamie Vardy hit the post for Leicester in an end-to-end first half. The hosts were much stronger after the break, but Mahrez’s spot-kick was saved by Artur Boruc after Simon Francis had been sent off for a challenge on Vardy.
Despite their numerical advantage, Leicester could not find a winner, as they failed to score or win for the third consecutive match.
Claudio Ranieri’s men now trail leaders Arsenal by two points, while Bournemouth – who have only lost one of their last eight games – extend their cushion over the bottom three to four points.
Alex Tettey sealed a 1-0 win for Norwich City over 10-man Southampton at Carrow Road to move the hosts six points clear of the drop zone.
Both sides probed brightly during the first half, with Norwich striker Dieumerci Mbokani and his Southampton counterpart Shane Long both passing up opportunities to break the deadlock.
This gave way to more attritional fare after the break but the game turned when Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama was sent off for the second time this season for two bookable offences.
Ronald Koeman’s team were forced to operate with reduced numbers from the 73rd minute and the Dutchman – who dropped star forward Sadio Mane to the bench for missing a team meeting – watched them fall behind three minutes later.
Norway midfielder Tettey, whose first goal of the campaign came in Norwich’s shock 2-0 win at Manchester United sidefooted coolly in the top corner in stark contrast to Wanyama’s hot-headedness.
Norwich have now won three of their past four matches to build up a healthy cushion between themselves and the bottom three, while Southampton are only a point above their opponents – last week’s 4-0 romp against leaders Arsenal standing as their only win in eight attempts.
Finally, Jonny Evans struck in injury time to earn West Brom and manager Tony Pulis a 2-1 win over the Welshman’s old team Stoke City.
Mark Hughes’ Potters, having struggled to respond to Stephane Sessegnon’s 60th-minute opener, thought they had earned a point when Jonathan Walters powered home the equaliser with nine minutes to go at The Hawthorns.
Stoke then lost Geoff Cameron to a harsh red card two minutes after restoring parity, prompting a West Brom onslaught that produced a dramatic winner, Evans stabbing home his first goal for the club from close range after the visitors failed to clear a corner.
The result sees Pulis’ men climb to within three points of 10th-placed Stoke and they are now nine clear of the relegation zone.
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