Luke O'Nien's classy Sunderland gesture, another injury scare and Pierre Ekwah's positive exchange at Cardiff

Sunderland ended a seven-match winless run with a 2-0 victory over Cardiff - and there were plenty of talking points after the match.

Adil Aouchiche's first-half penalty gave Mike Dodds’ side an early lead in the 12th minute, with Jobe Bellingham adding a second before the half-time interval. Here are some of the moments you may have missed:

Dan Neil injury scare

While Sunderland welcomed back some players into their matchday squad following injury setbacks, there was a scare just before half time when Dan Neil went down following a clash of heads.

The 22-year-old has been a crucial player this season, missing just one league match, and was thankfully able to continue following a pause in play while he received treatment.

Double injury boost as players return

While they weren't brought onto the pitch, Sunderland did welcome back winger Patrick Roberts and defender Aji Alese back into their squad. Alese hasn't played since January and has endured an injury-hit campaign. Roberts, meanwhile, had missed the side's last six matches with a hamstring issue.

Corry Evans travels with the squad

Club captain Corry Evans wasn't named on the bench, despite playing twice for Sunderland's under-21s side during the international break. The 33-year-old has been sidelined for over a year due to an ACL injury, with Dodds reiterating after the game the club has a duty of care to those returning from the sidelines.

Still, while Evans wasn't named in the squad against Cardiff, he did travel with the group. The midfielder may be involved when Sunderland host Blackburn on Monday.

Dodds’ chat with Pierre Ekwah

Pierre Ekwah was one of three players recalled into Sunderland's starting XI, after starting the side's last two matches on the bench. The Frenchman also played for the club's under-21s side during the international break, looking to recapture his early-season form.

Speaking after the match, Dodds said "I think Pierre was as good as I've seen Pierre for a long time," admitting the pair had shared some honest conversations about the midfielder's role. After the full-time whistle, Dodds went over to Ekwah, with the interim head coach appearing to praise the player's performance.

Luke O'Nien's classy gesture

Luke O'Nien also returned to Sunderland's starting XI after missing the side's last two matches through suspension, for picking up his tenth yellow card of the season.

The defender's experience and use of the ball helped Sunderland throughout the game, while the Black Cats’ captain showed his class at the end of the match, giving his shirt to a supporter in the away end.

Adil Aouchiche takes the applause

After being handed his second consecutive start, Aouchiche took his chance to impress in South Wales, scoring from the penalty spot and providing an assist for Bellingham.

When the Sunderland players were celebrating in front of the packed away end after the full-time whistle, Ekwah and Chris Rigg pushed Aouchiche towards the travelling supporters to take the applause. The Frenchman will hope to show more of his qualities in the remaining weeks of the season.