Sunderland's Scrambling in Style

This could well be their latest way of sticking it to the Toons.

Sunderland grabbed an unanticipated trois points from fallen champions Chelsea with a 3-2 result to -- for now -- escape the Premiership's relegation zone.

With the league title drama settled, all eyes turn to the annual battle for status at the foot of the table and the wads of dosh that accompany it.

This spring, Aston Villa is already doomed, and two from the trio of Sunderland, Newcastle, and Norwich City will join them:

Both the Black Cats and Canaries have a game in hand. Whether or not that fact provides false hope remains to be seen. They'll be played this Wed 11 May:

• Norwich City hosts the Watford Hornets, and
• Sunderland awaits Everton at the sure-to-be-pulsating Stadium of Light.

Chelsea have been struggling all season -- but they did rise to the occasion recently -- and the Blues didn't exactly distinguish themselves in this one.

However, they did have their moments, like at the quarter-hour when Diego Costa did what he's paid to do more than he actually does:

It turned out to be a prime example of flattering to deceive.

That strike stood until just before the half, when Wahbi Khazri slammed home an equalizer:

No one's stopping that without a layer of Kevlar.

Nemanja Matić clearly underperformed this season, but dude's making amends:

Desperation calls for drastic measures, and the Black Cats need to stop merely crossing paths and take matters into their own hands.

Fabio Borini got the message, finishing off a clever Sunderland move to level it all up:

Chelsea's defense can be breathtaking in its incompetence, but Jermain Defoe wasn't complaining:

The Black Cats barely escaped the drop last season. Time to see if the experience will help them do it again.