Football. Bloody hell. Palace came within minutes of their first league win in months - but a fluke/wonder goal by Fabio Borini put an end to those hopes. Nevertheless, there were a few talking points to consider. Here are five.
This is a team sport
OK, Wayne Hennessey wasn't prepared for that shot -- how many goalkeepers actually would have been? How many goalkeepers would have assumed that Martin Kelly would get tight? That a Bakary Sako might track back? That Joe Ledley, instead of pointing at Borini, might actually do the work himself and help Kelly out?
This was a Sam Allardyce side - you would have assumed that Borini might knock it high into the area - but he didn't.
Instead, all of the issues - Kelly not getting tighter, Ledley not closing him down himself, Sako not tracking back at all, combined to allow the striker to take an audacious shot past an unprepared Hennessey. This is a team sport and the team has to take the blame - its no good making Hennessey the scapegoat for what was a team failing.
Bolasie isn't fit yet
20-minutes into the first half, you could tell that Yannick Bolasie was struggling with the pace of the game. After two and a half months out through injury, you can excuse it.
Professional football is ruthless. These players are at the peak of their fitness at all times, and if you're not, it shows. Bolasie did a lot of preparation in the run up to his return to the side, with the club and with a personal trainer, but it shows that you can't fully prepare for the hard work needed when on the pitch.
Give it another game or two and we'll see the influence that we know he has. Pace is a huge part of his game and once that burst of energy isn't laboured by a lack of sharpness, we'll see a greater return.
There is no shame in defending a lead
One of the frustrations in the closing stages of the game came as a result of the lack of defensive substitutes to shore up what would be a difficult 15 minutes of football. If Alan Pardew were to take some blame for last night's late equaliser, it's that Palace made like-for-like substitutions at a point where a defender might have made more sense.
Bringing on Bakary Sako would have given the player a lift, but he was ineffective in taking pressure off the back four, just as Sunderland started to turn the screw.
Palace aren't yet desperate for a win. But have no doubt, the monkey on the squad's back will continue to get more notable as the games go on. Defending the lead might not have given Sunderland the space to build up to that goal. Our side is frail and a little defensive reinforcement might have given the squad the tools needed to come away with three points.
Bypassed Cabaye can't just stroll around
It's likely that Yohan Cabaye is Palace's most well-paid player. He was a record signing in the summer and, with that fee and wage comes an equally hefty level of expectation. When Palace were flying high, Cabaye was a core element of that success, central to Palace's dynamic attacking play.
Against Sunderland, Cabaye seemed to be a passenger for most of the game. Much of it wasn't his fault. He would find decent positions, only for his teammates to lump the ball up to Wickham for prolonged periods of the game. It's not easy being a midfielder when your role in the team is skipped.
However, with a second half team talk, Palace seemed more intent on playing the ball. At this point, you expect Cabaye to make himself busy - to offer himself up to teammates as an option. Go chase, harry, bully and manipulate opponents to get the ball. Instead, in one notable instance, Cabaye lost possession, threw his hands up in a huff, and walked back as Sunderland players surged past him.
It's been a tough two months for Yohan. He's been the victim of rotational fouling - intentionally targeted by teams for rough treatment by taking turns to foul him - but we expect him to give it a good go. If he doesn't, and instead shows petulance like he did in the second half, he'd be better served watching from the sidelines.
Wickham has the potential to be great
It's true. Connor Wickham has the potential; he must now realise it. We've seen some cracking goals from the young striker - signed for £9m from Sunderland - in the last week. Months of hard work are finally paying off for him and it's great to see.
The real positive however wasn't just how well he took the goals, but how well he did everything else. The goals will take the headlines but the rest of his performance was worthy of greater praise. He led the line with determination, held the ball up with strength and intent, and created opportunities for team mates.
Questions were asked about the decision to let Glenn Murray go in favour of Wickham. At the time, it seemed like a strange decision to make -- and as the team suffered a chronic lack of a strikeforce, it was right to ponder whether the timing was right. But the goals we're now seeing, and the hard work that Wickham is putting in to help the team out, suggests it might have been the right long-term move to make. It just came half a season too soon.
At just 22 years old, Wickham has time on his side. Palace should nurture that talent. A prolonged run in the side and the infectious effect of scoring a goal or four will mean one thing. He can only get better.