Sunderland 0-0 Blackburn: The Zzzzz factor

A cold turkey was served up at the Stadium of Light yesterday.

In sub-zero temperatures this dreadful match was very much in the Boxing Day left-overs category.

But it was a day of what might have been for Rovers boss Sam Allardyce.

It should have been their first away win since September when they beat Newcastle. And if he'd had his way, he would have been in the Sunderland dugout managing Niall Quinn's club, rather than Blackburn.

But with only three saves made all match, excitement at a bare minimum, and the only drama saved until injury time thanks to one of the misses of the season by Jason Roberts, it was hardly one to linger in the memory.

Allardyce stood arms aloft ready to celebrate a last-gasp winner. But then Rovers' new boss, and 48,680 others, realised Roberts had sidefooted wide, spurning an inviting open goal.

The stalemate left Rovers three points from safety, and made Roberts' error even more costly. He found himself presented with his easy chance when Morten Gamst Pedersen's long ball saw Marton Fulop rush to the edge of his box and into noman's land. Yet the shot trickled past the post.

Sunderland caretaker boss Ricky Sbragia wants the Black Cats to go through the festive period unbeaten, but a draw saw them slip a place to 14th.

Yet Cats chairman Quinn insists they are in no hurry to replace Roy Keane.

Quinn said: "We do not intend to rush in to any hasty decisions. It is a massive appointment for the club and it is important we consider our options.

"The results so far have bought us time.

"As of this point the board have not interviewed any candidates although I can assure you our phones are hot from agents around the world pushing their clients."

Allardyce's introduction as Rovers boss at home to Stoke last weekend prompted a performance of verve and spirit - but there was no repeat of that 3-0 show yesterday.

In a dreary first half Sunderland looked the livelier, even though excitement was at a minimum.

Steed Malbranque unlocked the visitors' defence after three minutes sliding in Djibril Cisse, who reached the ball just before Paul Robinson, but was denied a shot by the keeper's touch.

Malbranque then volleyed over after Ryan Nelson and Chris Samba got into a tangle on the edge of the box, and Phil Bardsley fired a 25-yard shot wide.

Blackburn hardly mustered an attack that breached Sunderland's penalty area and looked short of ideas, but the game livened up after the break.

Within a minute of the restart Rover had the ball in the net, but only from a cynical punch from Samba, who was then booked for his impression of Diego Maradona. Rovers are the dirtiest team in the Premier League according to fouls conceded - and Andre Ooijer was lucky he did not add to that record when he blocked Malbranque as he was bursting into the box on to Kenwyne Jones' ball.

It was missed by referee Martin Atkinson, which was a good job for the visitors because it was worth a booking and Ooijer was already on a yellow for a slap on Jones in the first half.

Fulop was forced into action when he tipped a Pedersen free-kick on to the post.

The Hungary star then excelled himself when a through ball by Benni McCarthy found Keith Andrews as he burst into the box, but his shot was smothered away for a corner.

Malbranque has a creative game and his cross saw winger Kieron Richardson's header blocked and a firsttime volley by Cisse fly just over.

It took Sunderland 89 minutes to force Robinson into a save, and that was a longrange shot from Grant Leadbitter that thudded into the keeper's stomach.

COMPUTER

SUNDERLAND

BLACKBURN

BALL POSSESSION

57% 43%

FACE TO FACE

5 Corners 2

6 Offside

73% Pass completion 70%

23 Tackles 24

5 Fouls 12

0 Cards 3

YOU THE MANAGER OF FANTASY FOOTBALL

MAN OF THE MATCH

(Worth an extra two Fantasy League points)

Marton Fulop

(SUNDERLAND) 8

VILLAIN OF THE MATCH

Andre Ooijer

(BLACKBURN) 6

NEXT GAME

SUNDERLAND

Tomorrow: Everton (a) Prem

BLACKBURN

Tomorrow: Man City (h) Prem

Sunderland: Fulop 8, Bardsley 7, Ferdinand 7, Nosworthy 7, Collins 7, Malbranque 7, Richardson 6 (Leadbitter 81), Tainio 6 (Whitehead 62, 6), Reid 6, Cisse 6 (Murphy 81), Jones 6.

Blackburn: Robinson 7, Ooijer 6, Nelson 7, Samba 7, Warnock 6, Emerton 6, Pedersen 6, Dunn 6 (Tugay 62, 6), Andrews 6, Roberts 6, McCarthy 6.

Referee: Martin Atkinson ATTENDANCE: 44,680