2012/13 SUNDERLAND 1 NORWICH CITY 1
22. Simon Mignolet 8. Craig Gardner 16. John O'Shea 24. Carlos Cuellar 71' 3. Danny Rose 21. Adam Johnson 84' 15. David Vaughan 7. Sebastian Larsson 28. Stephane Sessegnon 26. Steven Fletcher 9. Danny Graham 75'
Subs: 20. Keiren Westwood 2. Phil Bardsley 4. Alfred N'Diaye 10. Connor Wickham 84' 14. Jack Colback 19. Titus Bramble 71' 23. James McClean 75'
Substitute keeper Lee Camp ensured 10-man Norwich left Sunderland with a point on a day when the Canaries' luck deserted them.
Chris Hughton's men were leading 1-0 at the Stadium of Light through Wes Hoolahan's close-range header when keeper Mark Bunn was dismissed for handling outside his area, and their fortunes took a further turn for the worse five minutes before the break when defender Sebastien Bassong conceded a penalty.
Craig Gardner levelled from the spot and then forced a vital 59th-minute save from Camp as the Black Cats strove in vain for the goal they needed to secure a first win in seven Barclays Premier League games.
However, Norwich left Wearside believing they should have been awarded a 70th-minute penalty for handball against Danny Rose in an eventful encounter.
It was a game Sunderland simply had to win after slipping to 16th place in the table as a result of their barren run, although they kicked off holding a six-point cushion over the sides in the bottom three.
Norwich arrived on Wearside three points better off, but with only one win in their last 12 league games and needing a positive result to kick-start their season once again.
The home side started positively and might have gone ahead had Bunn not raced from his line to block Danny Graham's effort at point-blank range after the striker had climbed well to meet Gardner's free-kick and then latched on to the loose ball.
Skipper John O'Shea was unable to climb high enough at the far post to keep his header down from Adam Johnson's 15th-minute corner with the Black Cats pressing.
However, as the Canaries settled into the game, they started to string passes together and with midfielder Elliott Bennett giving full-back Rose a stern examination on his return from injury, they began to make an impression.
Stephane Sessegnon sliced wastefully wide after the ball sat up nicely for him inside the Norwich penalty area with 22 minutes gone, but it was the visitors who struck four minutes later.
Striker Kei Kamara was allowed to meet Robert Snodgrass' right-wing corner - the last of three in quick succession - with a firm header which was turned past keeper Simon Mignolet on the line by Hoolahan.
The reaction inside the Stadium of Light was one of intense frustration, but the home side were handed a lifeline within three minutes.
Graham, enjoying one of his better games in a red and white shirt, chased down a ball over the top and got to it marginally before the advancing Bunn, who blocked with his arm as he raced from his area.
Referee Chris Foy had little option but to produce a red card, much to the keeper's fury, and he made little secret of his feelings as he reluctantly left the pitch.
Norwich's fortunes were to take a further turn for the worse five minutes before the break when Bassong handled as he attempted to control O'Shea's pass on his chest and Gardner stepped up to smash the resulting penalty past replacement keeper Camp.
The newcomer made a fine diving save to keep out Johnson's 42nd-minute piledriver with Graham scuffing the rebound across the face of goal, and was relieved to see Rose's injury-time effort clip the outside of the post and run to safety.
Sunderland returned in determined fashion as they attempted to make the most of their numerical advantage, but Norwich were stubborn in defence with Bassong and Black Cats old boy Michael Turner proving equal to the task as a series of crosses was delivered into the box.
Bassong made a vital interception to prevent Steven Fletcher from connecting with Gardner's low 53rd-minute cross, and the full-back curled a left-foot effort from distance into Camp's arms seconds later with O'Neill's men dominating.
Gardner was revelling in the extra space afforded to him by Norwich's relative lack of personnel and he repeatedly turned up in advanced positions down the right, prompting Camp to make a good fingertip save with a 59th-minute thunderbolt.
Camp distinguished himself once again to claim Johnson's strike from distance two minutes later, and his side were appealing in vain for a penalty with 20 minutes remaining when Russell Martin's cross hit Rose's arm, in referee Foy's opinion, inches outside the box.
The Canaries should have been in front two minutes later when substitute Titus Bramble allowed Grant Holt to escape from his grasp and run in on goal, but his touch was heavy and Mignolet managed to intervene.
Sessegnon had a glorious opportunity to snatch the win with three minutes remaining when Gardner's cross was deflected into his path, but he dragged his effort wide of the far post.
SUNDERLAND v NORWICH
2012/2013 Sun 17 Mar Sunderland 1 - 1 Norwich City Premier League
Sun 02 Dec Norwich City 2 - 1 Sunderland Premier League
2011/2012 Wed 01 Feb Sunderland 3 - 0 Norwich City Premier League
Mon 26 Sep Norwich City 2 - 1 Sunderland Premier League
2009/2010 Mon 24 Aug Norwich City 1 - 4 Sunderland League Cup
2006/2007 Sat 02 Dec Sunderland 1 - 0 Norwich City Championship
Sat 04 Nov Norwich City 1 - 0 Sunderland Championship
2003/2004 Tue 04 May Sunderland 1 - 0 Norwich City League Division One
Sat 25 Oct Norwich City 1 - 0 Sunderland League Division One
1998/1999 Sat 06 Mar Sunderland 1 - 0 Norwich City League Division One
Tue 29 Sep Norwich City 2 - 2 Sunderland League Division One
1997/1998 Wed 28 Jan Norwich City 2 - 1 Sunderland League Division One
Sat 30 Aug Sunderland 0 - 1 Norwich City League Division One
1995/1996 Sun 14 Jan Sunderland 0 - 1 Norwich City League Division One
Sat 19 Aug Norwich City 0 - 0 Sunderland League Division One
1991/1992 Sun 05 Apr Norwich City 0 - 1 Sunderland F.A. Cup
played at Hillsborough
1990/1991 Sat 15 Dec Sunderland 1 - 2 Norwich City First Division
Sat 25 Aug Norwich City 3 - 2 Sunderland First Division
1985/1986 Wed 09 Apr Norwich City 0 - 0 Sunderland Second Division
Sat 26 Oct Sunderland 0 - 2 Norwich City Second Division
1984/1985 Sat 16 Mar Norwich City 1 - 3 Sunderland First Division
Sat 13 Oct Sunderland 2 - 1 Norwich City First Division
1983/1984 Sat 14 Jan Norwich City 3 - 0 Sunderland First Division
Sat 27 Aug Sunderland 1 - 1 Norwich City First Division
1982/1983 Sat 16 Apr Norwich City 2 - 0 Sunderland First Division
Sat 02 Oct Sunderland 4 - 1 Norwich City First Division
1980/1981 Sat 10 Jan Sunderland 3 - 0 Norwich City First Division
Sat 22 Nov Norwich City 1 - 0 Sunderland First Division
1976/1977 Sat 14 May Norwich City 2 - 2 Sunderland First Division
Sat 18 Dec Sunderland 0 - 1 Norwich City First Division
1974/1975 Sat 08 Mar Norwich City 0 - 0 Sunderland Second Division
Tue 24 Sep Sunderland 0 - 0 Norwich City Second Division
1971/1972 Sat 11 Mar Norwich City 1 - 1 Sunderland Second Division
Sat 09 Oct Sunderland 1 - 1 Norwich City Second Division
1970/1971 Sat 27 Mar Norwich City 3 - 0 Sunderland Second Division
Sat 05 Sep Sunderland 2 - 1 Norwich City Second Division
1963/1964 Wed 19 Feb Sunderland 0 - 0 Norwich City Second Division
Sat 05 Oct Norwich City 2 - 3 Sunderland Second Division
1962/1963 Wed 20 Mar Sunderland 7 - 1 Norwich City Second Division
Sat 27 Oct Norwich City 4 - 2 Sunderland Second Division
1961/1962 Sat 03 Feb Sunderland 2 - 0 Norwich City Second Division
Sat 16 Sep Norwich City 3 - 1 Sunderland Second Division
1960/1961 Mon 03 Apr Norwich City 3 - 0 Sunderland Second Division
Fri 31 Mar Sunderland 0 - 3 Norwich City Second Division