Luke O'Nien's sending off was the turning point as Sunderland's four-game unbeaten run in the Championship came to an end against Swansea City at the Stadium of Light. O'Nien was shown a straight red card for a late lunge on Oli Cooper inside the opening 20 minutes, leaving his teammates to play out more than 70 minutes of the match a man light and meaning he will now miss the Championship games at home to Middlesbrough, and away at Millwall, and the FA Cup trip to Fulham through suspension.
Swansea went in front through Joel Piroe just after half-time, but Dan Neil levelled things up midway through the half. But a cruel ricochet off Luke Cullen restored the Swans' lead minutes later, before Cooper added a third goal just over ten minutes from time to kill off any hopes of a comeback.
Defeat meant Sunderland slipped to tenth in the table, and are now three points outside the play-off spots. Tony Mowbray made five changes to the side that had started last weekend's FA Cup third round win at Shrewsbury Town, with Lynden Gooch coming into the side, Anthony Patterson restored in goal, Corry Evans and Jack Clarke returning in midfield, while Ross Stewart started up front.
