Miracles do happen, and in the case of Gus Poyet, they can be made to look ridiculously easy.

Exactly a month ago, after a 5-1 drubbing at Tottenham, a disconsolate Poyet surveyed his ailing side’s prospects and declared it would take a miracle for them to preserve their Barclays Premier League status and avoid the drop.

Four wins on the spin, a sequence more akin to a team with designs on the title, and, suddenly, the fate Sunderland’s manager was resigned to has been averted with a game to spare.

If that was wondrous enough, the way they have done it — not least a vibrant performance at the Stadium of Light last night that was capped by a goal of rare quality from Fabio Borini — has been even more astounding.

Stunning victories at Chelsea and Manchester United, with an emphatic home win over Cardiff in between, and now West Brom put to the sword. The result all but confirmed Norwich’s demotion to the Championship, but they can have no complaints. 

If they had a case for staying up, which is debatable, it certainly could not be at the expense of Poyet’s revitalised side. It could be at West Bromwich’s, but only if they somehow manage to wipe out goal difference arrears of 17. Now that would be a miracle.

There was a touch of symmetry, too, about West Brom being on the receiving end on the night Sunderland secured their Premier League future. They were Paolo Di Canio’s final opponents at the Hawthorns last September before the axe fell on his stormy reign.

A jubilant Poyet joined his players in the centre circle at the end to salute all sides of the ground, and the beaming smile was still in place later, as he said: ‘I believe in miracles now. I am absolutely delighted and so proud.

‘I was brought in here to do one job, and that was keep us in the Barclays Premier League. We have done that in a certain style, and it will be remembered for ever. It is historic. People will talk about the season Sunderland did it after being seven points adrift with six games left.

Sunderland went in front in the 13th minute, when Marcos Alonso went foraging down the left and whipped in a low cross that Jack Colback’s outstretched boot sent spinning beyond Ben Foster’s despairing right hand.

SUPER STAT

The cushion of a 2-0 lead came courtesy of a goal that was brilliantly worked and clinically executed. Borini played a ball inside to Sebastian Larsson and kept advancing towards the area, as his team-mate controlled it and weighed up his options.

Decision made, Larsson cleverly lifted the ball over West Brom’s static defenders and into the path of Borini, who by this time had reached the penalty spot and faultlessly finished off a sublime move with a first-time volley on the turn.

West Brom briefly rallied in the second half and almost reduced the arrears when Victor Anichebe narrowly failed to convert Craig Dawson’s cross as he slid in at the far post.

 

It scarcely mattered. The home crowd were ready to forgive anything, as they cheered every tackle and every clearance and marked the start of stoppage time by rising to their feet for a rousing rendition of The Great Escape, scarves waved above their heads.