Sunderland, April 25 (IANS) Nottingham Forest moved eight points clear of the Premier League relegation zone after thrashing Sunderland 5-0 at the Stadium of Light.

A stunning first-half rout, sparked by Trai Hume’s own goal in the 17th minute, was enough to get Forest over the line and dent the Black Cats’ European hopes.

Chris Wood added a second following a costly error from Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs, while Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus both got in on the act before half-time, Premier League reports.

Dan Ballard saw a goal disallowed for the hosts as they sought to regain pride in the second half, but Vitor Pereira’s side wrapped up victory as Elliot Anderson swept in a fifth goal in stoppage time.

Sunderland remain four points behind sixth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion, while Forest move eight clear of third-bottom Tottenham Hotspur and six ahead of West Ham United ahead of the weekend’s action.

The first clear chance fell the way of Sunderland after eight minutes, but Chris Rigg shot straight at Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels despite having plenty of space and time in the box.

The teenager was made to rue that miss when Forest’s well-worked short corner was crossed to Jesus at the back post, and the striker’s header was inadvertently turned in by Hume.

Roefs then had a moment to forget in the 31st minute as his pass was deflected to Gibbs-White by Wood, with the latter then calmly tucking the ball past the Sunderland ‘keeper to make it 2-0.

Gibbs-White got on the scoresheet himself, drilling past Roefs from Jesus’ knockdown, before the Brazilian volleyed in from close range as Forest scored their third goal in the space of just six minutes to put themselves in a commanding position.

Ballard thought he had pulled a goal back for Sunderland when he headed past Sels just after the hour mark, but his effort was disallowed when a VAR review found Nordi Mukiele had fouled the Forest ‘keeper.

Forest had just one shot in the second half but it still ended up in the back of the net as former Newcastle United midfielder Anderson’s first-time finish from Taiwo Awoniyi’s pass made it 5-0, completing Sunderland’s biggest-ever home defeat in the Premier League.

–IANS

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