Premier League: Fulham 0 Sunderland 0

Draw specialists Fulham took their tally to 10 stalemates this season after they were held 0-0 at home to Sunderland.

The point leaves the Cottagers one place off the relegation zone while Sunderland move one spot to sixth.

Fulham made the more adventurous start and Clint Dempsey almost gave the home crowd something to cheer about in the first 10 minutes, but his spectacular volley from 30 yards was caught acrobatically by Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

The Black Cats then suffered a blow as defender Anton Ferdinand was forced off with what appeared to be a hamstring injury.

Sunderland’s first real chance of the half fell to striker Darren Bent, but his header from a Jordan Henderson cross flashed across the face of goal and went wide.

Given that the past four League meetings between Fulham and Sunderland had delivered only two goals, the first 45 minutes predictably wore on with few chances of note.

Fulham probed in the form of long balls for striker Diomansy Kamara to chase but found the Sunderland defence in resolute mood, despite the early loss of Ferdinand.

On-loan Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck fashioned half a chance for himself with a neat turn on the edge of the box, but blazed his shot high over Mark Schwarzer’s crossbar.

The last action of a dull first half fell to Bent, but he again could not direct his header on target after he appeared to climb on Brede Hangeland to win the ball in the air.

The second half started with Dempsey trying another ambitious effort, but his chip after tricking himself into the Sunderland area wasn’t strong enough to beat Mignolet who plucked the ball out of the air.

Mark Hughes’ men then had another chance to break the deadlock through Dickson Etuhu but his header was cleared off the line by Black Cats’ defender Phil Bardsley.

Andrew Johnson, brought on at half-time to liven up the Fulham attack, then had a great chance from a goalmouth scramble but was denied bravely by Mignolet.

Sunderland immediately countered in numbers but wasted the opportunity despite having the upper hand in a 4-on-1 scenario, when a goal would surely have won them the game.