Defoe scored the only goal of the game as Sunderland beat Newcastle
The former Tottenham star smashed home a fantastic curling volley moments before half-time, much to the delight of new boss Dick Advocaat.
The game started brightly as both teams looked to take the lead, with Connor Wickham hitting the post from a Seb Larsson corner.
However, it was Defoe who broke the deadlock when he unleashed hell from 20 yards out, with Tim Krul powerless to stop the bending shot from finding its way into the top right of the net.
Both Remy Cabella and Ayoze Perez went close for John Carver's side in the second half, although neither forward was able to find a way past Costel Pantillimon.
The win sees Sunderland move within just six points of their rivals, but more importantly for the Black Cats, the vital win means they now move three points above the relegation zone with seven matches left to play.
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Defoe's strike could be a contender for Goal of the Year
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