Neil Shipperley (left) and Andy Johnson were on the scoresheet

Andy Johnson opened the scoring with a cool penalty after he had been fouled by keeper Mart Poom, who was sent off.

Further strikes from Neil Shipperley and Dougie Freedman secured Palace the points and lifted them to seventh spot in the Division One table.

The result also means that West Brom need just one point to seal promotion.

Johnson's darting run in the 20th minute proved to be the turning point in the match.

Shipperley released the Palace striker, who was brought down just inside the area by Poom, earning a straight red card from referee Phil Dowd.

Johnson had to wait before substitute Sunderland keeper Thomas Myhre, who spent three months on loan at Palace earlier this season, was ready to come on.

But he kept his cool to score down the middle.

The Black Cats suddenly had a mountain to climb, but it was not until the 35th minute that Darren Byfield registered Sunderland's first shot on target.

At the other end, Johnson fluffed his lines when played clean through by Wayne Routledge, but he made amends by teeing up Shipperley for the second on 63 minutes.

Freedman then made sure of victory within a minute of coming off the bench, giving Myhre no chance from the angle 10 minutes from time.

Crystal Palace: Vaesen, Butterfield, Popovic, Leigertwood, Granville, Routledge, Riihilahti, Hughes, Gray, Shipperley, Johnson.
Subs: Symons, Freedman, Derry, Berthelin, Black.

Sunderland: Poom, Williams, Breen, Babb, Arca, Piper, Whitley, McAteer, Tommy Smith, Byfield, Kyle.
Subs: Stewart, Oster, Thornton, Bjorklund, Myhre.