Ex-Newcastle man Dwight Gayle provokes Sunderland fans plus Alex Neil's exchange with former colleagues

It was a day of contrasting emotions for the pair who worked together both on Wearside and at Norwich City earlier in their careers. They exchanged words and a handshake before Neil was once again booed by the home supporters as he made his way down the tunnel with a wry smile.

As the Stoke boss put it, he had become the villain after leaving the Black Cats in August, yet a convincing 5-1 will have provided huge satisfaction for the Scot.

Neil reiterated after the match he had ‘nothing but good things to say about Sunderland’ while he was quick to shake hands with coaches Michael Proctor and Mike Dodds in the home dugout before the match.

Here are some of the other moments you may have missed:

John O’Shea’s return to Wearside

Neil wasn’t the only man on Stoke’s coaching staff facing his former club, with ex-Sunderland defender John O’Shea part of The Potters’ backroom team.

But while Neil’s arrival off the visitors’ team bus led to boos and shouts of ‘Judas’ from Black Cats’ supporters, O’Shea was applauded as he returned to the Stadium of Light.

Danny Batth’s appeal

The game’s opening goal, scored by Stoke’s Josh Laurent four minutes before alf-time, was a significant one, while Sunderland felt aggrieved with the outcome.

Mowbray and his side thought they should have been given the ball back after Stoke defender Ki-Jana Hoever returned to the pitch following a head injury, yet the visitors launched a quick counter attack and scored.

Sunderland defender Danny Batth also appealed for offside against Stoke striker Dwight Gayle, who appeared to be in the eyeline of goalkeeper Anthony Patterson.

The goal was allowed to stand, though, and Sunderland can have no complaints about their second-half collapse.

Tony Mowbray booked

Referee Jeremy Simpson was booed off by the home fans at half-time, while Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray walked onto the pitch to try and speak with the man in charge about Stoke’s goal.

Instead Mowbray was quickly shown a yellow card.

"I just wanted an explanation from him," said the Sunderland boss in his post-match press conference. "He flashes his yellow card at me, I don't understand why he can't just speak to me.”

Stoke’s goalkeeper change

Both sides made changes at half-time, when the score was still 1-0, with Luke O’Nien and Edouard Michut replacing Aji Alese and Joe Gelhardt.

Stoke also made a change in goal as keeper Matija Sarkic went off with an injury and was replaced by Jack Bonham.

The visitors had already had to replace defender Ben Wilmot midway through the first half as Morgan Fox came off the bench.

Dwight Gayle provokes Sunderland fans

Former Newcastle striker Gayle had scored just once in the Championship for Stoke before the side’s trip to Wearside, but added his side’s fourth and fifth goals here.

The 33-year-old joined The Potters in the summer and showed his Geordie connections by putting his fingers to his lips and antagonising the home fans following a close-range finish.

Gayle then scored again eight minutes later to compound a miserable afternoon for Sunderland.