Sunderland 0-3 Coventry City: Stadium of Light anger and major injury worry in dismal start to Beale era

Michael Beale's tenure started with a 3-0 defeat against Coventry City.

Sunderland missed a big chance to take the lead through Abdoullah Ba but fell behind through Tatsuhiro Sakamoto's close range effort on the stroke of half time. They applied pressure at the start of the second but were picked off by two counter-attacking goals in a matter of minutes, with Callum O'Hare and then Kasey Palmer putting the game to bed with well over twenty minutes to play.

Here's the story of the game and the talking points from a Sunderland perspective...

BEALE KEEPS IT SIMPLE WITH THE TEAM

Beale had pledged to build on what Tony Mowbray had left rather than dismantle it, and so it was no surprise to see him keep the core of the side together. In the end his only change was an enforced one with Alex Pritchard dropping out of the squad due to illness. Though it's unlikely he would have been pushing for a place in the starting XI, it's understand that Luis Hemir was also absent due to illness.

Beale brought Bellingham back into the side but did not put him up front, instead going with Abdoullah Ba as his most advanced player.

BA'S BIG CHANCE GOES BEGGING

Little changed in the opening exchanges, Sunderland controlling the game to a large degree and dominating the ball - but struggling to convert that into significant chances. That changed in the 20th minute, when Jack Clarke had space to drive infield and strike from the edge of the area. Collins saved but unconvincingly, spilling the ball into Ba's path. He couldn't find the target, blazing over from a matter of yards. It looked as if he may have been in an offside position, but the flag was never raised to spare his blushes. It was a huge moment in the game.

COVENTRY MAKE SUNDERLAND PAY - EVENTUALLY

Coventry almost took the lead minutes later, forging a corner from which they had two glorious close-range opportunities. Patterson initially saved from Haji Wright's header, and then made an even more impressive block to deny O'Hare on the follow up.

The game then entered a prolonged lull, the quality from both sides poor given Sunderland threatened intermittently, Clarke's cross at one staged turned onto the roof of the net by a Coventry defender. In truth though they laboured despite their possession, with the issues that impacted the early stages of the season never likely to be solved simply by a change of coach.

Coventry had threatened little, but picked Sunderland off on the stroke of half time. They broke down the left and the referee waved advantage as O'Nien dragged Wright onto the floor, allowing O'Hare to get to the byline. They worked the ball to the back post and though Hume was able to get in the way of Sakamoto's effort, he could not prevent it then rolling over the line. Sakamoto nearly made it two not long after, cutting inside and seeing his deflected shot whistle just past the far post.

Sunderland had dominated possession and controlled the game, but lacked presence in the opposition penalty box and given up a soft goal at the other end. A new era, but familiar problems.

SUNDERLAND LIFT THE INTENSITY

Beale got a strong response from his players at the start of the second half, who lifted the intensity and began to play through Coventry with relative ease. They ought to have equalised when a fine move saw Clarke teed up inside the box, but his effort was weak and straight at the goalkeeper. Roberts then had an effort blocked from close range and a strong penalty claim waved away when he went down at the end of an excellent run.

The home side were playing well but didn't take their chance, and their lack of ruthlessness was in stark contrast to their opponent. Coventry had barely broken into the Sunderland since the break but took their first chance when Ballard tried to nip in and head the ball downfield. Instead Coventry were able to break in numbers, O'Hare firing a fine finish into the far corner. Within moments it was three, Patterson spilling a cross after Coventry had been able to hit the byline too easily. Substitute Palmer hammered his first touch into the back of the net, and the boos rang round the Stadium of Light.

STADIUM OF LIGHT MAKE THEIR FEELINGS KNOWN

Beale had been preparing the introduction of Mayenda and Aouchiche after the second goal, but by the time they could arrive it would be 3-0 and game over. Both actually had good chances to score, but couldn't convert from promising positions.

Beale's appointment was one not well received in the main and there were pointed chants of 'Tony fantastico, Tony magnifico' from the Roker End either side of the third goal. Fans had also expressed their disappointment with the club's ticketing arrangements for the upcoming derby fixture with banners in the North End and the Roker End before the game, with Kyril Louis-Dreyfus watching on. In one slightly surreal moment late on, Coventry supporters sang 'One Tony Mowbray' - prompting many of those still left in a sparse Stadium of Light to join in and applaud.

This ended up being an acrimonious start to the Beale era and Hull City offer very difficult opposition in the next game.

ANOTHER INJURY BLOW

Sunderland's afternoon ended with a bitter blow when Niall Huggins was taken off the field on a stretcher. The defender had looked to have put his injury issues behind him this season and has been on the players of the campaign so far - any significant injury would be a huge blow both for himself and the club. He looked in a huge amount of pain.

Sunderland XI: Patterson; Huggins (Seelt, 84), Ballard, O'Nien, Hume; Neil, Ekwah (Mayenda, 70); Roberts, Ba (Aouchiche, 71), Clarke; Bellingham

Subs: Bishop, Burstow, Rusyn, Triantis, Rigg, Dack

Coventry City XI: Collins; van Ewijk, Thomas, Kitching, Bidwell; Allen (Latibeaudiere, 67), Sakamoto, Sheaf (Eccles, 41), O'Hare (Palmer, 67); Simms (Dasilva, 68), Wright (Godden, 84)

Subs: Wilson, Banks, McFadzean, Ayari

Bookings: Hume, 25 O'Nien, 45 Collins, 53 Bidwell, 63 Neil, 88

Attendance: 41,216