Evenin’ all. You’ve joined us in plenty of time for this mid-week, mid-table battle between Sunderland and Norwich.

Martin O’Neill and Paul Lambert know eachother well from their Celtic days. O’Neill has overseen an improvement on Wearside while Norwich are, incredibly, unbeaten in six. Send us your predictions.

The team sheets are in and James McClean is retained, as is Wes Hoolahan:

Sunderland: Mignolet, Bardsley, Turner, O’Shea, Richardson, Larsson, Gardner, Colback, McClean, Sessegnon, Campbell.

Subs: Westwood, Bridge, Wickham, Ji, Meyler, Elmohamady, Lynch.

Norwich: Ruddy, Martin, Ayala, Whitbread, Naughton, Johnson, Crofts, Surman, Hoolahan, Holt, Morison.

Subs: Steer, Jackson, Pilkington, Fox, Bennett, Wilbraham, Ward.

Both teams have just emerged from the tunnel. Be sure to stick with us for goal updates from tonight’s other four fixtures tonight.

Told you so.

GOAL: ASTON VILLA 0 -1 QPR 1

It didn’t take Djibril Cisse long to celebrate his return to English football. A right foot screamer arrows past Shay Given.

We’re underway at the Stadium of Light.

McClean looking very lively in opening minutes. Won an early free on the left and has just whipped a cross onto the head of Frazier Campbell, saved by Ruddy at the near post.

Sunderland definitely first out of the traps here. Sessegnon picked out Larsson just inside the box, but he pulled his shot left of the target.

GOAL: Blackburn 0 -1 Newcastle

Ewood Park won’t take kindly to this: a Scott Dann own goal.

Back with Sunderland, and Norwich very nearly grabbed a goal against the run of play. Grant Holt on the end of a cross, but his point-blank shot was saved by Mignolet.

GOAL: Aston Villa 0 – 2 QPR

Another own-goal flies in at Villa Park. The unlucky sod on this one is Stephen Warnock.

Eh, scratch the “unlucky” out of Warnock’s own-goal. Apparently he had a free header and decided to just nod it in at his own back post.

GOAL: Sunderland 1 -0 Norwich

And what a goal! Frazier Campbell celebrates his comeback in style.

Good work on the left from McClean brought a bouncing ball to the striker. 30 yards from goal, on the angle, he teed the ball up for himself and guided a beautiful, dipping volley over Ruddy and into the corner.

GOAL: Sunderland 2 -0 Norwich

Stephane Sessegnon with a cheeky nutmeg in midfield before unleashing Campbell down the wing.

The cross from Campbell is on the money and is met by a solid Sessegnon header to double the lead.

Two glorious goals here.

GOAL: Aston Villa 1 – 2 QPR

The comeback is on, Darren Bent fires Villa back into the game.

It’s half time at Villa Park and not far off it everywhere else.

Sunderland are flying. Fraizer Campbell threw himself at a Jack Colback cross and rattled the post, only to be flagged off-side.

Craig Gardner attempted a long range strike, but it was uncharacteristically harmless and wide.

Penalty to Blackburn!

Oh dear, penalty missed by David Dunn.  Can’t afford to throw lifelines like that away in relegation scrap.

Krul made it a brilliant double save, denying Givet on the follow up.

Half time at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland look really threatening at times, but that confidence could get very flimsy if Norwich nick a goal.

Here are your vital half-time statistics.

Aston Villa 1 – 2  QPR
Blackburn 0 – 1 Newcastle
Bolton 0 – 0 Arsenal
Fulham 0-0 West Brom
Sunderland 2-0 Norwich

Aston Villa are just getting their second half underway.

Second halves now underway. No changes from O’Neill or Lambert.

No matter where he is on the pitch, Sessegnon is having an impact and begins another sweeping counter attack for the home side.

On this occasion Garner gets a shot on target from a tight angle, palmed away for a corner by Ruddy.

GOAL Sunderland 3 – 0 Norwich

Another counter is slowed by the visitors, but Sunderland stay patient and work the ball brilliantly down the right with a series of one-two’s that ends with Bardsley darting into the box. He blasted in a cross which deflected in off Daniel Ayala.

Bardsley definitely claiming it, though it looks like the third OG of the night.

GOAL: Aston Villa 2 – 2 QPR

The comeback is complete at Villa Park thanks to a stunning Charles N’Zogbia volley. 15 minutes on the clock.

What about Arsenal? I hear you cry. RVP has just hit the post, will it be yet another frustrating night for the Gunners?

Has Arsene Wenger learned nothing? He’s taken Oxlade-Chamberlain off again. Minutes after he whistled a shot inches over the bar, the youngster is shaking hands with Thierry Henry on his way to the bench.

GOAL: Fulham 1 -0 West Brom

Clint Dempsey stretches that US goal-scoring record of his.

Just over 15 minutes to go at the Stadium of Light and we’re in a lull. The hosts are more than happy to sit back on their three goal lead and O’Neill has just called Campbell ashore to a standing ovation.

James McClean watch: Started very brightly and gave Russell Martin all kinds of problems. Since they took the lead the hosts haven’t used him as much, but his threat was undoubtedly a big factor in opening up the defence.

Entering stoppage time in Birmingham where Mark Hughes’ QPR are desperately clinging to a point.

FULL TIME: Aston Villa 2 – 2 QPR

Villa come from behind and secure a point, but could have won it the second half.

David Meyler is on the field, replacing Stephane Sessegnon. Wayne Bridge has also crossed the line to make his debut in place of Kieran Richardson.

RVP hits the bar again for Arsenal and the man who stayed on the field while Oxlade-Chamberlain was taken off, Theo Walcott, hit the follow up wide from six yards.

GOAL: Fulham 1 – 1 West Brom

Nothing happening in Sunderland but goals flying in elsewhere: Somen Tchoyi with a late equaliser. Five minutes to go in our four 8pm kick-offs.

Big penalty shout at the Reebok as Wojciech Szczesny sends Mark Davies tumbling, not given.

And in we go to stoppage time….

Full Time: Sunderland 3 – 0 Norwich

Full Time: Bolton 0 – 0 Arsenal

Goal: Blackburn 0 – 2 Newcastle

Gabriel Obertan seals the points for the visitors at Ewood Park, heaping more misery on Steve Kean.

FULL TIME: Blackburn 0 -2 Newcastle

FULL TIME: Fulham 1 – 1 West Brom

So that’s it from me folks. Sunderland put in a really good shift tonight, swift on the break and clinical on the finish. 3 -0 comes close to flattering Norwich, who slip into the bottom half as Sunderland move up to eighth.

Just a place above them are Arsenal, it was another inexplicable result for them tonight. How long can Wenger shrug his shoulders at this team?

Anyway, night all.