Birmingham City boss Wayne Rooney’s winless start to his Blues reign reached a new low on Wearside as the visitors suffered a fourth loss in the five games since he took charge.
Tony Mowbray’s side proved too strong as Birmingham were soundly punished for poor defending.
Blues old boy Jobe Bellingham, meeting the side he left in the summer for the first time, nonchalantly put Sunderland ahead on 17 minutes with his first goal in three months.
Saturday’s EFL action: as it happens
Koji Miyoshi levelled nicely for Blues on the half hour, but Sunderland went on to win it with two second-half strikes.
Dion Sanderson lucklessly put through his own net on 57 minutes before Sunderland substitute Adil Aouchiche clinched it from close range – just two minutes after coming on.
Victory lifted the Black Cats into the top six ahead of the 15:00 GMT kick-offs, while Birmingham – sixth when Rooney took over – slipped to 15th.
More to follow.
Line-ups
Sunderland
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Patterson
- 2Huggins
- 23Seelt
- 25Triantis
- 32HumeBooked at 45mins
- 39Ekwah
- 10RobertsBooked at 39minsSubstituted forMayendaat 74′minutes
- 24Neil
- 7BellinghamSubstituted forAouchicheat 74′minutes
- 20ClarkeSubstituted forBurstowat 88′minutes
- 15RusynSubstituted forBaat 61′minutes
Substitutes
- 9Silva Semedo
- 11Burstow
- 12Mayenda
- 17Ba
- 18Taylor
- 21Pritchard
- 22Aouchiche
- 30Bishop
- 46Dack
Birmingham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 21Ruddy
- 2LairdBooked at 18minsSubstituted forOakleyat 83′minutes
- 5Sanderson
- 44Aiwu
- 12Drameh
- 19JamesBooked at 46minsSubstituted forDembéléat 72′minutes
- 34Sunjic
- 11MiyoshiSubstituted forGardnerat 83′minutes
- 45BurkeSubstituted forHoganat 78′minutes
- 7Bacuna
- 28StansfieldSubstituted forJutkiewiczat 78′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Etheridge
- 4Roberts
- 9Hogan
- 10Jutkiewicz
- 17Dembélé
- 20Gardner
- 23Longelo
- 24Oakley
- 27Khela
Live Text
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Match ends, Sunderland 3, Birmingham City 1.
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Second Half ends, Sunderland 3, Birmingham City 1.
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Attempt missed. Mason Burstow (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Abdoullah Ba.
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Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Anthony Patterson.
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Attempt saved. Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ivan Sunjic.
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Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by John Ruddy.
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Attempt saved. Eliezer Mayenda (Sunderland) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Adil Aouchiche.
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Attempt blocked. Pierre Ekwah (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Abdoullah Ba.
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Attempt saved. Mason Burstow (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Adil Aouchiche with a cross.
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Substitution, Sunderland. Mason Burstow replaces Jack Clarke.
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Attempt saved. Juninho Bacuna (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Siriki Dembélé.
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Attempt saved. Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Siriki Dembélé.
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Eliezer Mayenda (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Dion Sanderson (Birmingham City).
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Substitution, Birmingham City. Marcel Oakley replaces Ethan Laird.
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Substitution, Birmingham City. Gary Gardner replaces Koji Miyoshi.
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Attempt missed. Cody Drameh (Birmingham City) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is too high.
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Foul by Jack Clarke (Sunderland).
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Ethan Laird (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Eliezer Mayenda (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
