What upset Sunderland’s Dan Neil before red card vs Middlesbrough plus Leeds forward explains weird moment

Referee Jarred Gillett was booed off by the home supporters following Sunderland’s 4-0 defeat against Middlesbrough at the Stadium of Light.

Some will argue the official followed this season’s stricter refereeing guidelines, to book players for dissent, when he showed Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil a second yellow card on the stroke of half-time. Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray strongly disagreed with the decision when the match was still goalless, while momentum swung dramatically in the visitors’ favour following the incident.

Second-half goals from Sam Greenwood, Matt Crooks, Isaiah Jones and Marcus Forss resulted in a resounding win for the visitors. Here are some of the moments you may have missed:

What upset Dan Neil

Neil’s first yellow card came in the 17th minute for a foul on Middlesbrough striker Josh Coburn near the halfway line.

The midfielder then felt play should have been stopped when Boro full-back Tommy Smith dispossessed Jack Clarke on Sunderland’s right flank, before the visitors broke forward and Trai Hume made a tackle on striker Josh Cobern at the other end.

Both Hume and Neil appealed to the officials that Clarke had been fouled, with Neil’s frustrations directed at the referee from a distance. Gillett then pulled out a second yellow card as Neil was dismissed.

Coburn collides with Dan Ballard

Tempers subsequently boiled over just before the half-time whistle after Coburn threw himself into Sunderland defender Dan Ballard, leaving the Black Cats player on the ground. Ballard quickly jumped to his feet and squared up to his opponent, sparking players from both sides to clash.

Ballard and Coburn were then booked for their actions after being separated, with the first half ending in chaotic fashion.

Sam Greenwood’s weird moment

There were three former Sunderland players in Middlesbrough’s starting XI, including defender Paddy McNair, as well as Coburn and Greenwood who were both part of the Black Cats’ academy but never made a senior appearance for the club.

Greenwood, who is on loan from Leeds, admitted before the match his family and friends are mostly Sunderland fans, meaning his celebration was muted when he opened the scoring.

“It felt a bit weird to be fair but I’m just happy we got the three points,” Greenwood told Sky Sports after the match. “It’s always been a dream of mine since a little kid to walk out at the Stadium of Light but I’ve done it now and scored against them.”

Offside appeal for Middlesbrough’s third goal

After withstanding some early second-half pressure, Sunderland quickly became stretched at the back with a numerical disadvantage. That resulted in Middlesbrough substitute Morgan Rogers releasing Jones in space on the right, before the winger cut inside and converted the visitors’ third goal.

There were suggestions the Middlesbrough player was offside, with Luke O’Nien, who tangled with Boro forward Emmanuel Latte Lath during the move, appealing to the linesman after the goal had been scored.

Grant Leadbitter returns to the Stadium of Light

Former Sunderland midfielder Grant Leadbitter was back at the Stadium of Light as part of Middlesbrough’s coaching staff, sitting in the press box to analyse the game.

Leadbitter returned to Boro, where he also played between 2012 and 2019, to take up a coaching role within the club’s academy last year and is now part of Michael Carrick’s first-team staff at the Riverside.