Premier League: Sunderland 0 Fulham 3

Simon Davies scored a double as Sunderland slumped to a 3-0 defeat to Fulham at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Most of the home fans fans headed towards the exits in the 73rd minute when Davies scored his second, Fulham’s third of the game, but the rumblings on the terraces had started before that with Sunderland labouring all afternoon.

Stephane Sessegnon and Steed Malbranque were asked to fill in for injured frontmen Asamoah Gyan and Danny Welbeck, but never really looked up to the job for the home side.

Sunderland almost completely dominated the first-half without ever being able to make their possession count in front of goal.

Ahmed Elmohamady headed wide early on and Malbranque curled a shot wide of goal when in a one-on-one with Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer on the half-hour.

And they were made to pay for their profligacy in the 33rd minute when Gael Kakuta was left unmarked in the Sunderland box and stabbed the ball home from eight yards.

Sunderland went into the break trailing from that goal and never looked as though they would overhaul it in the second half.

They simply lacked any punch in front of goal and their only real opportunity was a chance for Lee Cattermole in the 56th minute when he shot straight at Schwarzer.

Fulham responded with a two-goal blast from Davies – the midfielder getting on the end of a Sidwell pull back from the left in the 61st minute and a Zamora cross from the right in the 77th.

Those Sunderland fans who had not left the stadium by the final whistle showed their displeasure, booing the home side from the pitch.