Inside Sunderland's first Championship defeat and the scenes that told you everything

The last time Sunderland had visited Bramall Lane it fell very firmly into the latter category. Chris Coleman's side had actually gone unbeaten in three in the build up, raising some hope in the battle against relegation.

It was the most chastening of Boxing Days, Chris Wilder's team dominant in every single department. Alarm bells were ringing loud and clear afterwards as Coleman said the opposition were 'stronger, quicker, hungrier and fitter'.

The contrast on Wednesday night was stark.

For sure there were some familiar sights and sounds, overlapping centre-backs and a powerful midfield trio. Now, as then, you were left with the sense of a Sheffield United side on a journey to the Premier League.

Sunderland though are in a very different place and to understand that you only had to look across to the away end at full time. Or anytime during a spirited second half.

It was loud, it was proud and it was defiant. A mirror of their side. Sunderland had gone down to ten men after half an hour and when Max Lowe emphatically finished a glorious team mere moments into the second half, you feared the worst.

Instead, aided by a clever triple substitution, they dug in, fought back and took the game deep.

The hosts had the better fo the chances but that was to be expected. Anthony Patterson made some terrific saves and in front of him no blade of grass went uncovered. That was embodied by Ross Stewart, now ploughing a lone furrow up front. While Alex Neil had initially wanted to stick with his two centre-forwards even after the red card, knowing they could produce a goal from nothing, the improvement in the home side's passing meant they were creating far too many overloads in the wide areas. So Stewart simply started playing two roles. He tracked the centre backs all the way to his own box, he ran the channels, held the ball up to spark counters and headed away a number of dangerous set pieces for good measure.

Neil said afterwards he had 'absolutely no complaints', that 'what the players put up was brilliant'. That every single travelling supporter stayed to applaud them off the pitch told they felt the same.

Well, Neil wryly added, he was frustrated with the timing of the second goal, but that was more a footnote than an overriding emotion.

The red card meant that this was very much a game of two phases and from both there was a lot to take.

That second half was about endeavour and spirit, and the first half an hour there was some quality on show too. Neil has at every turn this season taken the attacking option when it comes to team selection, reasoning that Sunderland's best chance of picking up points is to focus on their attacking and technical talent.

So with Corry Evans injured, he decided to go with the pairing of Dan Neil and Elliot Embleton. He urged his side to be brave, and to risk the ball to try and go in search of a win.

Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom admitted afterwards that his side had been 'caught out' in those opening exchanges.

Sunderland's gamble was that if the Blades managed to play through the press, they would have a spare midfielder immediately in space. It rarely happened though, the visitors getting into some dangerous areas and more than matching their opposition.

The game was lost in a two-minute spell, one in which the naivety and inexperience of the side was ruthlessly exploited. It was a dangerous pass to Neil, and an error to dither on it when it arrived. That was all James McAtee needed to force the red card, and in a blink of an eye Anel Ahmedhodžić was towering above his marker to make it 1-0.

Dan Neil summed up the evening of promise and frustration. The deeper role was a relatively unfamiliar one to him but up until the red card he was as his own manager described, 'brilliant'. What followed was a harsh lesson in the intensity of the Championship.

And if there was one real concern from the night, it was that Alex Neil's warnings about some of the fragilities in his squad are being borne out far swifter than anyone could have hoped. Just days after he spoke at length about a lack of cover in specialist positions, he has lost Dan Ballard and Corry Evans. Though his substitutes acquitted themselves well, that Dan Neil is now suspended for the weekend further exposes a lack of depth and will weaken his bench yet again for another tricky trip to Stoke City.

He has been saying repeatedly that he and his players need help and it is truer now than ever. The step up in intensity is already beginning to tell and at an alarming pace.

With around a fortnight left of the window, Sunderland have arrived at an early crossroads moment. Part of the energy in that away end through the second half was a response not just to the spirit on show but the general belief that has now been built: that Sunderland can be more than competitive at this level, and that though there will be inevitable dips they can go toe-to-toe with even the better sides.

In the longer run, that will be dependent on ensuring there are enough fresh legs and enough competition to keep pace with a punishing schedule.

In the final reckoning Sheffield United were worthy of this win, of that there was little doubt. But as first defeats go, this was one that came with its fair share of positives.

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