Sunderland relegated after late Cherries goal
Bournemouth is virtually safe after winning 1-0 at Sunderland on Sunday (AEST), but the Black Cats were relegated from the Premier League.
Sunderland became the first team to be relegated from the Premier League this season after Joshua King's late goal consigned David Moyes's men to a 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Sunday (AEST).
Hull's 0-0 draw at Southampton looked to have provided the hosts with a stay of execution, but King rounded off a rapid Bournemouth break to send Sunderland down into the Championship.
After 10 years in the Premier League and a series of close shaves in recent seasons, Sunderland dropped out of the top flight with fans chanting angrily against Moyes and owner Ellis Short at the full-time whistle.
Sunderland has won just five games all season and, unlike in recent seasons when miraculous fightbacks late in the campaign saved the club from the drop, this time it was left with too much to do.
King went closest to breaking the deadlock in an end-to-end first half, but the Norway international saw his floated effort clip the crossbar and post when it looked like curling in.
Jermain Defoe missed a series of chances for Sunderland as his dry spell continued and, despite increasingly desperate efforts, the hosts could not find the goal that would have prolonged their slim hopes of survival.
Short issued a statement after the match accepting some of the responsibility for the club's failures this season.
“I acknowledge that during my ownership mistakes have been made, particularly in the area of player recruitment," he said.
"As a result we have found ourselves struggling to survive in recent seasons. We had massive disruption during the summer transfer window and an unprecedented number of injuries throughout the season. These are difficulties which we have been unable to overcome and we are paying the price for that now.
“We need to improve, both on and off the field, and despite the bitter disappointment of today there is a strong determination to do so throughout the club. There is significant work to be done over the summer and when the season is concluded, we intend to share our plans to move forward with our supporters.”
