Brian Brobbey scored a second-half winner as Sunderland recovered from a goal down to deepen Crystal Palace’s misery and end their five-match winless run in the Premier League.
Brobbey did magnificently to shrug off his marker before lifting Noah Sidiki’s pass into the net via the underside of the crossbar to earn the Black Cats their first league victory since defeating fierce rivals Newcastle in mid-December.
Yeremy Pino had given Palace a first-half lead at the Stadium of Light, lifting a delicate finish over goalkeeper Robin Roefs after Sunderland had failed to clear Will Hughes’ corner.
But the visitors’ advantage lasted only three minutes as Enzo le Fee swept Nordi Mukiele’s cross into the bottom corner to fire the Black Cats level.
Chances were few and far between in the second half, but Sunderland dominated possession and were rewarded when Brobbey netted his fourth league goal of the campaign 19 minutes from time.
Trai Hume could have given Sunderland a two-goal cushion late on but blazed over the crossbar with only Dean Henderson to beat.
Victory means the Black Cats have equalled Ipswich Town’s 11-match unbeaten home record by a newly promoted Premier League side, which the Tractor Boys set back in 1992-93.
As for Palace, defeat caps a truly miserable week for the South London club, who were dumped out of the FA Cup by sixth-tier Macclesfield last weekend and are set to lose captain Marc Guehi – who is on the verge of joining Manchester City – and manager Oliver Glasner this summer.
The Eagles, who are now without a win in their last 10 games in all competitions, remain in the bottom half, while Sunderland climb above Newcastle in the top half of the table.
Before the game, Glasner said he wanted Palace to show the same energy and spirit they had displayed in training on Friday – the day he informed his players he will leave at the end of the campaign.
Palace certainly competed well in the first half and fashioned the better opportunities before the interval, but a combination of Sunderland goalkeeper Roefs and the offside flag prevented them from leading at half-time.
Jean-Philippe Mateta – who has also been linked with a move away from the club this month – was thwarted in a one-on-one with Roefs after latching on to a through-ball from Pino, who had intercepted a stray pass from Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka.
Mateta was denied again by Roefs moments later – although the linesman’s flag was eventually raised for offside – before having a magnificent half-volley from the edge of the penalty area disallowed, again for offside.
Pino’s eye-catching finish did put Palace in front, but it proved to be the last of the visitors’ two efforts on target at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland raised their game after restoring parity but despite creating little in the final third in the second half, Brobbey’s late winner was no less than they deserved.
Glasner’s team have now lost six of their past eight in the Premier League and could drop to 14th if Bournemouth beat Brighton on Monday.
Not for the first time this season, Sunderland showed tremendous character to preserve their unbeaten record at the Stadium of Light and cement their healthy position in the top half of the table.
The Black Cats have now won more points from losing positions this term – 16 – than they have in any other Premier League season, and more than any other promoted club since West Brom in 2010-11.
Only high-flying Aston Villa have come from behind to pick up more points than Regis le Bris’ side in 2025-26.
If they can avoid defeat at home to Burnley in February, Sunderland will have set a new 12-match unbeaten home record by a promoted Premier League club.
Brobbey’s deft finish was a fitting end to another committed display in front of their own supporters – albeit against a Palace side who have endured one of the toughest weeks in their recent history.
Sunderland fans can surely start to look forward to another year of Premier League football next season, but with Le Bris’ team now only three points off fourth-placed Liverpool in the standings, Black Cats supporters could have even more to celebrate come the end of the campaign.
Sunderland travel to West Ham on Saturday, 24 January (12:30 GMT), while Crystal Palace welcome Chelsea to Selhurst Park the following day (14:00 GMT).
