Follow live coverage as Sunderland face Oxford United in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Relegation from the top flight last term means Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will Norwich City, an improving Coventry and beaten play-off finalists Leeds United. At the other end of the table, Wayne Rooney is aiming to revive Plymouth’s fortunes after they narrowly avoided relegation last year, with Portsmouth and Derby the teams promoted from League One along with play-off final winners Oxford.
Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Sunderland AFC 2 - 0 Oxford United FC
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:56Match ends, Sunderland 2, Oxford United 0.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:53Second Half ends, Sunderland 2, Oxford United 0.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:53Tom Watson (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:53Dennis Cirkin (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:52Attempt blocked. Josh McEachran (Oxford United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:50Foul by Alan Browne (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:52Fourth official has announced 5 minutes of added time.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:50Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:50Substitution, Sunderland. Leo Hjelde replaces Chris Mepham.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:50Substitution, Sunderland. Tom Watson replaces Wilson Isidor because of an injury.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:50Delay in match because of an injury Wilson Isidor (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:45Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Hidde ter Avest.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:41Substitution, Oxford United. Will Goodwin replaces Dane Scarlett.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:39Foul by Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:37Substitution, Sunderland. Alan Browne replaces Chris Rigg.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:37Substitution, Sunderland. Aaron Connolly replaces Romaine Mundle.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:37Louie Sibley (Oxford United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:37Luke O'Nien (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:52Attempt blocked. Hidde ter Avest (Oxford United) header from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Louie Sibley with a headed pass.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:36Attempt blocked. Louie Sibley (Oxford United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:36Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:36Delay in match because of an injury Wilson Isidor (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:36Substitution, Oxford United. Louie Sibley replaces Rúben Rodrigues.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:36Substitution, Oxford United. Hidde ter Avest replaces Peter Kioso.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:36Substitution, Oxford United. Josh McEachran replaces Will Vaulks.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:36Attempt missed. Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:24Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:24Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Peter Kioso.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:24Goal! Sunderland 2, Oxford United 0. Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Dan Neil.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:15Foul by Patrick Roberts (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:15Attempt saved. Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Chris Rigg.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:13Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland) hits the bar with a right footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Romaine Mundle.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:24Attempt saved. Greg Leigh (Oxford United) left footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Will Vaulks.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:11Foul by Chris Mepham (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:10Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:10Dane Scarlett (Oxford United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:10Delay in match because of an injury Luke O'Nien (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:10Luke O'Nien (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:07Attempt blocked. Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Trai Hume.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:03Second Half begins Sunderland 1, Oxford United 0.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
16:03Substitution, Oxford United. Greg Leigh replaces Idris El Mizouni.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:50First Half ends, Sunderland 1, Oxford United 0.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:50Foul by Romaine Mundle (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:50Chris Rigg (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:50Fourth official has announced 2 minutes of added time.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:50Offside, Sunderland. Wilson Isidor is caught offside.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:50Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Ciaron Brown.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:49Romaine Mundle (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:48Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Jamie Cumming.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:46Attempt saved. Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Chris Rigg.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:43Attempt saved. Idris El Mizouni (Oxford United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Tyler Goodrham.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:39Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:39Foul by Dennis Cirkin (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:39Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:39Delay in match because of an injury Jamie Cumming (Oxford United).
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:31Corner, Oxford United. Conceded by Chris Rigg.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:30Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Idris El Mizouni.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:30Attempt blocked. Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:24Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Jamie Cumming.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:26Attempt saved. Chris Rigg (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Jobe Bellingham with a through ball.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:24Chris Mepham (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:23Dane Scarlett (Oxford United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:23Foul by Chris Mepham (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:23Foul by Dennis Cirkin (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:23Attempt missed. Chris Mepham (Sunderland) header from the left side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Patrick Roberts with a cross following a corner.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:23Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Ciaron Brown.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:20Foul by Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:16Goal! Sunderland 1, Oxford United 0. Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:16Attempt missed. Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Trai Hume with a cross.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:15Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Jamie Cumming.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:14Attempt saved. Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:12Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:07Corner, Oxford United. Conceded by Simon Moore.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:07Attempt blocked. Romaine Mundle (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Patrick Roberts.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:06Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:06Delay in match (Oxford United).
Sunderland vs Oxford United
15:01First Half begins.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Sunderland vs Oxford United
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