Campbell strikes again for rampant Sunderland

Fraizer Campbell scored for the second time in four days as Sunderland battered Norwich into submission.

The 24-year-old, who marked the end of his injury misery with a goal on his return to action on Sunday, needed just 21 minutes to double his tally for the season with a sumptuous volley which set the Black Cats on their way to a resounding victory.

The win extended manager Martin O’Neill’s run since he replaced Steve Bruce to just two defeats in 11 games in all competitions and extended his side’s points tally to 30 — one more than last night’s visitors — to the delight of a crowd of 34,476.

The game was effectively won inside the opening 28 minutes as Norwich simply found Campbell and Stephane Sessegnon too hot to handle.

Irish winger James McClean lifted the ball over full-back Russell Martin after 21 minutes and although the defender managed to nudge it away, Campbell pounced to smash a dipping volley over John Ruddy.

But there was better to come just seven minutes later as Sessegnon won the ball in midfield and fed a pass out to Campbell. The Benin international continued his run into the box to meet the striker’s cross with a downward header that beat Ruddy.

Sunderland’s third goal arrived within 10 minutes of the restart when full-back Phil Bardsley burst into the box and drilled in a low cross which Daniel Ayala could only turn on to his keeper and into his own net.

SUNDERLAND: Mignolet, Bardsley, Turner, O’Shea, Richardson (Bridge 82), Larsson, Gardner, Colback, McClean, Sessegnon (Meyler 82), Campbell (Ji 74). NORWICH: Ruddy, Martin, Ayala, Whitbread, Naughton, Johnson (Bennett 62), Crofts, Surman, Hoolahan (Pilkington 62), Holt (Wilbraham 78), Morison. Ref: Lee Mason (Lancs).