Sunderland v Burnley, 18 December 2004

Comments:

League position: 3rd Unused substitutes: Ben Alnwick and Matthew Piper Most sources credited Sunderland's winning goal to Liam Lawrence. However, the following from the match report on Sunderland's official web site, confirms Michael Bridges as the scorer: "Michael Bridges claimed the winner as promotion-chasing Sunderland closed the gap on the top two. "The winning goal, Bridges' second strike of the season, came in the 52nd minute and there was confusion surrounding who got it. "Liam Lawrence's cross looked to skid through a crowd of players before creeping in at the far post. Bridges was in the six-yard box when it happened and it emerged afterwards that he got a touch. "After scoring one goal in the last four years, there was no way the former Leeds striker was going to give it away!"