Sunderland 1 Sheffield United 2: Highlights as Cats are beaten after Tommy Doyle and James McAtee goals

Sunderland were beaten 2-1 by Sheffield United at the Stadium of Light – despite taking a first-half lead.
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Despite some early pressure, the Black Cats took the lead when Edouard Michut scored his first goal for the club with 30 minutes played.

The hosts equalised on the stroke of half-time, though, when Manchester City loanee James McAtee found space in the box and converted with a low finish.

Another City loanee then scored the winner as Tommy Doyle’s free-kick went straight in just after the hour mark.

Here’s how the game played out:

RECAP: Sunderland 1 (Michut, 30) Sheffield United 2 (McAtee, 45) (Doyle, 61)

Key Events

  • Sunderland XI: Patterson, Hume (Gooch, 72), Ballard, Batth, O’Nien (Ekwah, 86), Neil, Michut (Pritchard, 72) , Roberts, Ba, Clarke, Gelhardt (Lihadji, 72)
  • Subs: Bass, Anderson, Gooch, Bennette, Ekwah, Lihadji, Pritchard
  • Sheffield United XI: Foderingham, Baldock (Bogle, 78), Ahmedhodzic, Egan, Robinson, Lowe, Doyle (Fleck, 78), Berge, McAtee (Norwood, 78), Ndiaye (Sharp, 90+1), Jebbison (McBurnie, 70)
  • Subs: Davies, Bogle, Basham, Norwood, Fleck, Sharp, McBurnie

What to make of those sides

So Mowbray has named an unchanged side following Sunday’s win at Norwich.

It therefore looks like Abdoullah Ba will play alongside Joe Gelhardt up front again, with Luke O’Nien set to stay at left-back.

Alex Pritchard is back on the bench after missing the win at Carrow Road, with Ellis Taylor dropping out of the squad.

Sheffield United have made four changes following their 1-0 defeat by Millwall on Saturday.

George Baldock, Tommy Doyle, James McAtee and Daniel Jebbison return to the starting XI, with John Fleck, Oli McBurnie, Ollie Norwood and Jayden Bogle all dropping to the bench.

1’ Early pressure

Sheffield United are almost ahead inside a minute after loading six players on the right from kick-off and sending the ball into the channel.

The visitors managed to win a corner before Ahmedhodzic headed wide.

2’ Hume shot saved

Now Sunderland have gone close after Roberts set up Hume on the right and the full-back’s powerful shot was palmed away by Foderingham.

The effort came at a good height for the keeper.

Sheffield United have looked dangerous in these early exchanges.

McAtee managed to set up Ndaiye there before the striker forced a low save from Patterson.

10’ How Sunderland have started

Like against Norwich on Sunday, it looks like a 4-4-2 system for Sunderland out of possession, with Ba operating alongside Gelhardt.

Most of the match has been played in Sunderland’s half so far.

Sunderland had been struggling to get out of the own half, with the visitors winning the majority of second balls, yet Mowbray’s side did manage to break forward there.

Robinson was booked for a foul on Ba, before Sunderland appealed for a penalty for handball from the following free-kick.

Nothing was given, and now United are back on the attack.