Follow live coverage as Sunderland face Stoke City 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 - 1 Stoke City FC
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:24Match ends, Sunderland 2, Stoke City 1.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:23Second Half ends, Sunderland 2, Stoke City 1.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:23Attempt saved. Ashley Phillips (Stoke City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Eric-Junior Bocat with a cross.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:21André Vidigal (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:21Attempt blocked. Eliezer Mayenda (Sunderland) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Tom Watson.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:21Substitution, Sunderland. Leo Hjelde replaces Wilson Isidor because of an injury.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:21Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:21Attempt missed. André Vidigal (Stoke City) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Ben Wilmot.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:17Foul by Thomas Cannon (Stoke City).
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:14Goal! Sunderland 2, Stoke City 1. Tom Watson (Sunderland) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Patrick Roberts.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:13Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Michael Rose.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:13Substitution, Stoke City. Ben Wilmot replaces Bae Jun-Ho.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:11Attempt missed. Andrew Moran (Stoke City) right footed shot from outside the box.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:10Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:10Delay in match because of an injury Viktor Johansson (Stoke City).
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:08Offside, Sunderland. Jobe Bellingham is caught offside.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:10Attempt missed. Eliezer Mayenda (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Tom Watson.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:08Substitution, Sunderland. Eliezer Mayenda replaces Chris Rigg.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:08Substitution, Sunderland. Dennis Cirkin replaces Aji Alese.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:06Andrew Moran (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:03Offside, Sunderland. Chris Rigg is caught offside.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:03Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Eric-Junior Bocat.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:03Attempt blocked. Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Chris Rigg.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:03Attempt missed. Tom Watson (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Wilson Isidor.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
14:01Substitution, Stoke City. André Vidigal replaces Million Manhoef.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:59Attempt missed. Lewis Koumas (Stoke City) right footed shot from the right side of the box.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:58Attempt saved. Chris Rigg (Sunderland) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:56Thomas Cannon (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:55Offside, Sunderland. Aji Alese is caught offside.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:55Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Eric-Junior Bocat.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:55Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:52Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:52Delay in match because of an injury Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:51Attempt saved. Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Chris Rigg.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:50Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Junior Tchamadeu.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:43Attempt missed. Trai Hume (Sunderland) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Aji Alese following a corner.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:41Attempt missed. Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box following a corner.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:41Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Lewis Koumas.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:39Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Junior Tchamadeu.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:36Attempt blocked. Chris Rigg (Sunderland) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:36Foul by Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:33Second Half begins Sunderland 1, Stoke City 1.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:17First Half ends, Sunderland 1, Stoke City 1.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:17Fourth official has announced 1 minutes of added time.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:17Offside, Stoke City. Thomas Cannon is caught offside.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:15Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Trai Hume.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:15Attempt saved. Tom Watson (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jobe Bellingham.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:13Luke O'Nien (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:13Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Lewis Koumas.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:13Foul by Dan Neil (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:13Attempt saved. Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Chris Rigg.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:10Attempt missed. Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:10Attempt saved. Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Luke O'Nien.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:08Foul by Andrew Moran (Stoke City).
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:07Chris Rigg (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:06Attempt saved. Chris Rigg (Sunderland) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:04Attempt saved. Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:04Foul by Ashley Phillips (Stoke City).
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:02Foul by Thomas Cannon (Stoke City).
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:02Attempt missed. Michael Rose (Stoke City) header from very close range is too high. Assisted by Million Manhoef with a cross following a corner.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:02Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Dan Neil.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
13:02Attempt blocked. Million Manhoef (Stoke City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:59Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Trai Hume.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:55Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Trai Hume.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:51Attempt blocked. Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Chris Rigg.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:46Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Junior Tchamadeu.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:45Attempt missed. Trai Hume (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box following a corner.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:45Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Tatsuki Seko.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:46Attempt saved. Tom Watson (Sunderland) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the bottom left corner.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:46Attempt blocked. Aji Alese (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Wilson Isidor.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:45Attempt saved. Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Luke O'Nien.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:45Attempt blocked. Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Tom Watson.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:43Attempt blocked. Eric-Junior Bocat (Stoke City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Bae Jun-Ho.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:43Attempt blocked. Eric-Junior Bocat (Stoke City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Junior Tchamadeu with a cross.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:38Goal! Sunderland 1, Stoke City 1. Tom Watson (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jobe Bellingham.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:37Goal! Sunderland 0, Stoke City 1. Lewis Koumas (Stoke City) left footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom left corner.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:37Attempt saved. Lewis Koumas (Stoke City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Million Manhoef.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:35Foul by Andrew Moran (Stoke City).
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:34Foul by Thomas Cannon (Stoke City).
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:32Attempt missed. Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) left footed shot from the right side of the box.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:31First Half begins.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
12:00Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Sunderland vs Stoke City
10:30Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
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