Sunderland - Bournemouth live updates

Bournemouth have gone seven league away matches without a win, conceding 18 goals, since beating Swansea on New Year's Eve (D3, L4). They have only earned two victories and 11 points in the last 19 Premier League away games.

BARREN RUN: Jermain Defoe has not scored a goal in nine games, a barren run spanning 14 hours and 15 minutes since his brace at Crystal Palace on 4 February.

RELEGATION FORM: The Black Cats have earned just two points from their last nine fixtures and failed to score in eight of them. Their only victory in 16 games came against Crystal Palace in February (W1, D4, L11).

Eddie Howe: "It is difficult to have sympathy with an opposition manager until after the game as the focus is so much on your team. We would love to get over 40 points this weekend, that is the one every one talks about, then we can move on from there. We will not be underestimating Sunderland. I have seen many amazing things in football, so our mentality has to be to go out against a tough side fighting for their lives."

Hope for Sunderland? The Black Cats won away at Bournemouth in November so could do the double over another club for the first time in two years. Bournemouth's only victory in all nine previous meetings came at home in their first Premier League fixture against Sunderland, in September 2015.

David Moyes (via BBC Sport): "While we still have a chance we will keep fighting. We want a winning momentum and we want to rediscover that winning feeling. A long-term plan is definitely needed for this football club. Unfortunately, a lot of people want to talk about it but they don't actually want to see that this is the way it has to happen. But we will put it in place. There are a lot of things done behind the scenes we are trying to improve on."

Lee Cattermole, Darron Gibson, Jack Rodwell and Jason Denayer all miss out for Sunderland through injury. Big losses in such a crunch game although it probably won't matter anyway.

And here’s how Eddie Howe plans to send Bournemouth down.

Here’s how Sunderland will line up for this afternoon’s crucial game.

Hello and welcome to our LIVE match coverage as doomed Sunderland look to extend their stay of execution at home to Bournemouth. Team news coming shortly ahead of this 15.00 kick-off.