Inside a costly night for Sunderland and the key dilemmas an upbeat Tony Mowbray is now facing

They had tried again to add cover in a couple of key positions, but as the day progressed it became clear that their main targets would not be coming to Wearside. Sunderland decided to stick rather than twist, trusting a tight-knit group to reach the next ‘pit-stop’ of the World Cup break in November.

Key to this decision was the view that not only is it preferable to run a lean squad without a large number of unhappy players not involved regularly in matchday squads, but also that within Sunderland’s squad there is the versatility to manage any injury issues.

It was a call always likely to be tested at some stage and well, five days later here we are.

This was the news Sunderland fans have dreaded for months and the timing could not have been worse.

The atmosphere at a packed Riverside building to a crescendo when the news filtered through that Sunderland would be without their talisman. Ross Stewart had been taking one of the final shots of his warm-up when he felt his thigh ‘pop’, and from there it was down the tunnel and out of the action.

With no like-for-like replacement, Tony Mowbray was forced not just to shape personnel but shape and strategy. Patrick Roberts came in and Sunderland moved to a 3-4-3, but in the opening exchanges his side understandably looked a little muddled.

Middlesbrough started well, powerful and well organised, and Sunderland looked caught between trying to play through the lines to find Roberts and Alex Pritchard on the half-turn, and trying to go early into Ellis Simms, bringing the two attacking midfielders into play that way. Simms put himself about, but the Middlesbrough’s back three found him far easier to marshal without Stewart’s excellent and varied movement alongside him.

Though Pritchard missed a glorious opening to put his side ahead, Middlesbrough were comfortably the better side and deserving of their lead. Sunderland’s lack of composure in possession allowed the hosts to dominate territory, pushing their dangerous wing backs high up the pitch. It was undoubtedly too easy for Riley McGree to get in between two centre-backs to convert Giles’ cross for the opener, but that he found himself in a similar position three times in the half gives you a snapshot of the balance of play.

After the break Sunderland were much improved, but clear cut chances remained elusive and Mowbray’s injury issues worsened when Dennis Cirkin limped off with a hamstring injury.

Already, Mowbray is facing some key dilemmas. The head coach showed his experience on arriving at the Stadium of Light by acknowledging that this was a rare occasion where a new boss inherits a team and a system working very effectively. So other than one or two minor tweaks, he told his new staff and his new players to carry on as they were and maintain the standards they had set for themselves. Stewart’s injury means it’s a luxury lost and the likely absence of Cirkin alongside him compounds it.

With no obvious striker to partner Simms and an abundance of wide players in the squad, the simplest solution would be to move Roberts into his natural position in a 4-2-3-1. At the back, though, it leaves two difficulties. With Cirkin and Niall Huggins sidelined there is no left back to call upon, and Dan Ballard’s injury means the most obvious option to partner and provide balance to Danny Batth is unavailable.

Alternatively, Mowbray can look to keep things the same and introduce Aji Alese on the left of the back three and play Amad through the middle. The latter certainly has the pace to stretch opposition defences, and is a player Mowbray will expect to improve when has had time to settle and understand his role. Kristjaan Speakman referred to him on Friday as one reason for not recruiting another striker, and also pointed to Alese as a key factor for not ultimately recruiting another centre back.

“We have to see those players play,” he said.

Mowbray not unreasonably pointed to exciting times ahead afterwards, impressed with how his side had taken control of the game in the second half and stood up to a significantly more experienced opponent, one still widely expected to be pushing for the top six come the end of the season. Through the second half Sunderland moved the ball with far more bravery and actually manufactured a lot of promising positions. The final ball was simply not good enough, but the evidence of the season so far suggests this was an exception rather than the rule.

After watching his new, young additions in training over the past few days he is also confident that when match fit, they can get fans on the edge of their seats with their pace and agility. When that moment comes is not yet clear and for now it means a squad short when it comes to changing games.

When Edouard Michut, Abdoullah Ba and Jewison Bennette are ready Mowbray has made clear that he will have to introduce them carefully.

What Sunderland’s clear recruitment strategy does inevitably mean is that there will be nights like this, where deeper and more Championship-ready squads are able to frustrate Mowbray’s young group.

The head coach insisted again that this squad can compete with anyone in this division and the evidence across eight games is that this is absolutely true.

But at this early stage of this transition, this was a night to underline that this will be a campaign of ups and downs.

There’s never a good time to lose your talismanic striker, and certainly not for Sunderland with Ross Stewart. A week on from his appointment, Mowbray is facing his first major test.