Mauricio Pochettino is happy to assume the role of father figure to his “naughty” Tottenham side who continue to come of age as the title race approaches its final examination.

Vardy has recovered from a minor groin surgery in time for tonight's big game.

Arsenal 3 Sunderland 1: The FA Cup third round weekend began with Jurgen Klopp submitting a jaw-dropping team sheet at Exeter but there was no chance Arsene Wenger would follow suit.

Jermain Defoe picked Scott Dann’s pocket for a poacher’s finish to seal Sunderland’s 1-0 Premier League victory at Crystal Palace.

Sunderland 0 Southampton 1<br>

Everton 6 Sunderland 2<br>It felt entirely appropriate a team nicknamed the Black Cats crossed Arouna Kone’s path on the day he produced his best performance in an Everton shirt.

Sunderland 2 West Ham 2: Former Sunderland defender Sam Allardyce, who has been taking a break since leaving his post at West Ham at the end of last season, is the early favourite to take over from Dick Advocaat, who left his job as head coach yesterday just four months after being persuaded to delay his retirement plans for a year.

Man Utd 3 Sunderland 0: As a proven winner of league championships across Europe, Louis van Gaal knows what it takes to stay the course and finish on top.

The world’s largest brewer wanted to keep the biggest deal of the year under wraps. Market chatter and the UK’s unique takeover rules got in the way.

Sunderland 1 Swansea City 1: Sunderland skipper John O’Shea has urged his team-mates to use their first point of the season as a springboard to ease themselves up the Barclays Premier League.

First there was the Great Escape, then last season an almost equally implausible sequel.

LEICESTER CITY 4 SUNDERLAND 2:

Dick Advocaat has revealed he wants up to four more summer signings as he attempts to rebuild his Sunderland team.

Arsenal 0 Sunderland 0: Arsenal needed a point to all but confirm third place in the Premier League; Sunderland needed a point to escape relegation; three of the last six games between the teams at the Emirates had ended goalless. Can you guess what the score was yet?

Sunderland 0 Leicester 0: Leicester players are backing both Nigel Pearsons for manager of the year awards after the Foxes completed perhaps the greatest of all escapes. That’s one for the man we see in public, and another for the real Pearson.

Everton 0 Sunderland 2: Jermain Defoe may not be an obvious choice as the most significant signing of the 2014-15 Premier League season, but the veteran staked a powerful claim when his goal helped Sunderland collect three vital points at Goodison.

Sunderland 1 Newcastle United 0: Jermain Defoe is a quick learner. Sunderland’s recent acquisition has spent the last fortnight taking a crash-course in Wear-Tyne derby history, and it took him less than 45 minutes to write his name indelibly into its latest chapter.

Sunderland 0, Aston Villa 4:

A consultant oncologist has told how she felt threatened by a doctor under her supervision on two separate occasions when she sought to discuss the junior registrar’s medical practices at the Midwestern Cancer Centre at University Hospital Limerick.

Team news for tonight's Premier League games .

Swansea 1 Sunderland 1: Jermain Defoe feels Sunderland have built the momentum to distance themselves from relegation bother.

Sunderland 0 Fulham 0: FA Cup Fourth Round: It’s not just dour stalemates that have become an all-too regular feature of Sunderland’s Groundhog Day season.

All the team news from around the grounds ahead of Week 22 in the Premier League.

All the team news from around the grounds ahead of Week 21 in the Premier League.

Sunderland 1 Leeds United 0

Manchester City 3 Sunderland 2

Sunderland 1 Hull 3 Sunderland were tormented by the ghost of Christmas Past as Steve Bruce returned once again to haunt them.

All the team news from around the grounds ahead of the full round of matches on St Stephen’s Day in the Premier League.

Newcastle United 0 Sunderland 1

All the team news from around the grounds ahead of Week 16 in the Premier League - more to follow as it comes in.

Sunderland 1 Manchester City 4

All the team news from around the grounds ahead of Week 6 in the Premier League - more to follow as it comes in.

Six people have been arrested after trouble flared in Glasgow city centre following the referendum result.

By Robert Allison

Northern Ireland showed England they have little to fear from a Uruguay side lacking Luis Suarez as they battled to an honourable 1-0 defeat in Montevideo.

Stoke have lost an appeal against Jonathan Walters’ red card in the 1-1 draw with Norwich on Saturday, the Football Association said last night.

Stoke chairman Peter Coates plans to make an official complaint regarding the performance of referee Martin Atkinson in their 5-1 loss to Newcastle on St Stephen's Day.

Kangaroo meat hopping off the menu

Stephen Ireland believes being reunited with Mark Hughes will revitalise his career.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers claims the club have not received any approach for defender Martin Skrtel.

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge is rated at about 80% fit but appears to have shown enough to warrant inclusion against Stoke at Anfield tomorrow.