Leicester City 1-0 Sunderland: More penalty frustration & another set-piece failing despite clear positives

Sunderland fell to their third Championship defeat in a row despite producing an encouraging performance away at runaway leaders Leicester City.

James Justin's early header from a corner proved the difference between the two sides, despite bopth prodiucing a host of big chances to score.

Here's how the game played out, and some of its main talking points...

BASICS LET SUNDERLAND DOWN AGAIN

Mowbray said his side would not sit deep and invite pressure from a Leicester City side and right from the off they were good to their word.

The game plan was ambitious, essentially marking Leicester man-for-man all over the pitch. It meant they left acres of space in behind and often left the three forwards one-v-one, but it also offered opportunities for Sunderland to nick the ball. They did that often, forging the first real chance when O'Nien was able to advance and fire in a low cross. It just evaded Burstow, but Jack Clarke was there and denied only by a very good save.

It was a bright Sunderland start, making the first goal all the more frustrating. Leicester City's attacking talent is striking: Albrighton, Vardy, Daka. And that's just on the bench. They showed throughout the first half how quickly then can cut you open, so to let them go ahead from a set piece will have been infuriating for Mowbray and his side. It was very similar to Stoke City's winner on Saturday, a runner passed on by his initial marker and then virtually unchallenged to head home.

For all their good work, Sunderland's inability to defend a basic inswinging ball left them with a mountain to climb.

LEICESTER THREATEN - BUT SUNDERLAND HOLD THEIR OWN

The home side forged some strong openings throughout the first half. Brilliant footwork from Mavididi allowed him to breeze past Hume, something not easily done, and drive a low effort that Patterson was only just able to divert onto the post.

They then struck the post shortly before the interval, Iheanacho dropping onto a loose ball and crashing an effort off the post. They also crated one superb openign when the hugely impressive Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, whose good corner was headed in by Justin for the opener, sprung the trap and broke through on goal. Sunderland were able to recover, but the speed of the home side showed they have been so imposing this season.

Sunderland held their own throughout, though. They should have scored when Dan Neil crossed to the back post, Jobe entirely free but able only to head well over the bar. Moments before, Clarke had forced another solid stop from Hermansen as he cut inside from the left flank and stuck from distance.

ANOTHER BIG CALL

Sunderland were again on the end of a contentious decision, this time just a minute before the break. Dan Neil was driving towards the byline when Wout Faes went to ground to challenge. Neil went down and a corner was given, but replays clearly showed that he had failed to make contact with the ball.

The unanimous verdict from Sky's commentary and punditry team was that it should have been a penalty, and a big chance to get level at the break.

For balance, we should say that Leicester were aggrieved when Dennis Cirkin was adjudged to have fouled Abdul Fatawu in the second half. Though the foul was given, the referee ruled that the offence did not carry into the box.

PATTERSON KEEPS SUNDERLAND IN IT

The visitors were without a doubt fortunate to stay in the game just after the break, despite Roberts getting an early shot away that was blocked. Patterson twice made terrific saves from close rnage to deny Casedei, albeit the first one came from his own sliced clearance. The second one was simply different class.

Leicester looked to have found another gear with the visitors perhaps beginning to tire, Iheanacho sliding an effort wide after a counter cut Sunderland wide open.

SUNDERLAND FINISH STRONG - BUT THE FINISH IS LACKING

Mowbray raised eyebrows again with his striking decisions, this time opting to finish the game without one despite making four substitutions.

Sunderland came on strongly though, going some way to vindicating the call. Twice Dan Neil got into good areas, only to lack the composure to score. And then Abdoullah Ba spurned a chance he simply had to score, blazing over after Clarke had surged into the box and Pritchard had nicked the ball past the goalkeeper.

That felt like the moment for Sunderland to snatch something from the game, but it passed them by.

A POSITIVE PERFORMANCE - ANOTHER DISAPPOINTING RESULT

Most of the noise inside the ground towards the end of this game came from the away end, which was a telling verdict on what was by and large a strong Sunderland display against a very good opponent. The players were sung off the pitch at the end, a fair reflection of their efforts.

Leicester will rightly say they had more than enough chances to put this game to bed in the early stages of the second half, but Sunderland created some real openings throughout.

There were some positives throughout the side, with Patrick Roberts a real threat on the right flank and unlucky not to make a goal contribution. Neil also made a strong return to the side, one of the best players on the pitch throughout.

There was much to like about this enterprising display but the end result is three games without a point for the Black Cats. That needs to end soon.

A COUPLE OF INJURY CONCERNS

Mowbray said in his pre-match press conference on Monday that there were some injury doubts, and both Adil Aouchiche and Bradley Dack were absent from the matchday squad.

Mowbray seemed to think before the game that the concerns were relatively minor, and so they will hopefully be in contention to feature this weekend.

One big boost for Sunderland was to see Cirkin back on the field in the second half, he immediately added a real attacking threat that will serve his team well.

Sunderland XI: Patterson; Hume, Ballard, O'Nien, Huggins (Cirkin, 64); Nei (Hemir, 90)l, Ekwah (Rigg, 64), Jobe (Pritchard, 73); Roberts, Clarke, Burstow (Ba, 64)

Sub Rusyn, Seelt, Triantis, Bishop

Leicester City XI: Hermansen, Pereira, Faes, Vestergaard, Justin, Winks (Choudhury, 88), Casadei, Dewsbury-Hall, Fatawu (Albrighton, 79), Mavididi (Daka, 88), Iheanacho (Vardy, 67)

Subs: Ward, Coady, Souttar, Marcal, Stolarczyk

Bookings: Iheanacho, 39 Vestegaard, 49 O'Nien, 49 Hume, 53 Justin, 67 Pereira, 71