Sunderland 3 Sheffield United 0Tommy Smith, Gary Breen and Kevin Kyle fired Sunderland to victory over Sheffield United to keep the pressure on Norwich - who beat Wigan 2-0 yesterday - and West Brom at the top of the English first division.
Smith's opener and two second-half goals were enough to overcome the disappointing Blades, who failed to return to the play-off places with a third straight defeat and have now won just once in six matches.
Smith gave his side the lead after seven minutes, finishing off a sweeping breakaway. A long clearance was flicked on by Darren Byfield to Smith who played the ball into the path of Jason McAteer. His cross was met perfectly by Smith, who fired a rising shot past Paddy Kenny.
On 65 minutes Breen wrong footed marker Phil Jagielka to head home Sean Thornton's corner and double the lead.
Deep into stoppage time, substitute Kyle latched onto a Carl Robinson cross-field ball and his low shot back across the goal gave the home side an even healthier margin of victory.
SUNDERLAND: Myhre, Williams, Breen, Babb, Arca, Thornton, McAteer (Thirlwell 90), Robinson, Oster (Kyle 61), Byfield, Tommy Smith (Stewart 85). Subs Not Used: Bjorklund, Alnwick. Booked: Byfield, Kyle. Goals: Tommy Smith 7, Breen 65, Kyle 90.
SHEFFIELD UTD: Kenny, Jagielka, Morgan, Page (Sestanovich 61), Kozluk, Francis, Tonge, Rankine, Wright (Lester 66), Gray (Allison 65), Shaw. Subs Not Used: McLeod, Montgomery.
Referee: M Pike (Cumbria).
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