Sunderland 0 Fulham 0

Nov 20 2011 by James Hunter, Sunday Sun

SUNDERLAND drew a blank against Fulham for the FIFTH game in a row, as they had to settle for a point at the Stadium of Light.

This was the third goalless draw in the last four games between these sides and you have to look back as far as January 2009 to find Sunderland’s last goal against the Cottagers.

But it certainly wasn’t for the want of trying yesterday.

The Black Cats rattled the woodwork twice in the first half and forced Fulham’s veteran Aussie keeper Mark Schwarzer – formerly of Middlesbrough – into a desperate stop with his legs in injury-time, but there was no breakthrough for Steve Bruce’s side.

It may have ended in stalemate but this was no bore draw and it was only Sunderland’s failings in front of goal, and Ahmed Elmohamady’s dismal delivery from wide positions, that let them down.

If Fulham had punished them in the latter stages when Sunderland were pushing forward for a winner, though, it could have been disastrous.

Thankfully, Fulham’s finishing was no better.

But Sunderland’s lack of goals is a major worry for Bruce, particularly as his attacking options are paper-thin, at least until injury victims Fraizer Campbell and Connor Wickham return – and that is unlikely to be this side of Christmas.

After an awkward start to the season that has already pitted Sunderland against the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool, this was the first of a run of four games against more modest opposition, with clashes with Wigan Athletic, Wolves and Blackburn coming up over the next few weeks.

Bruce pinpointed these games as the ones that needed to produce the points return that would lift the Black Cats away from the lower reaches of the table.

However, their failure to convert a dominant display against the Londoners into a victory has only cranked up the pressure on the next three matches.

With Wickham injured and influential winger Seb Larsson serving a one-match ban, Bruce made two changes to the side that started the defeat at Manchester United a fortnight ago.

Elmohamady came in as a straight replacement for Larsson on the right side of midfield, but the return of defender John O’Shea in place of frontman Wickham meant a major reshuffle.