Danny Welbeck's classy gesture to Sunderland fans as Granit Xhaka and Chris Rigg fume at Jan Paul van Hecke

Sunderland returned to the Stadium of Light looking to continue their positive Premier League campaign as Brighton and Hove Albion arrived on Wearside.

There was an interesting statistical backdrop to the fixture. Historically, meetings between Brighton and Sunderland have been remarkably even, with the head-to-head record perfectly balanced before kick-off - 14 wins apiece and eight draws.

The most recent encounter between the sides had also been a tight affair, with Sunderland earning a disciplined 0-0 draw at the Amex Stadium earlier this season in the Premier League. That result reinforced the sense that games between the two clubs are often finely poised and decided by small margins.

With the game now complete, here are some of the moments that shaped the afternoon before the action began, as well as the key themes that emerged during the contest and in its immediate aftermath:

Régis Le Bris handed double injury blow before game

One of the major pre-match talking points centred around Sunderland’s latest injury problems, with both Enzo Le Fée and Nilson Angulo ruled out before kick-off. It handed Régis Le Bris yet another selection headache and added fresh concern ahead of next weekend’s Tyne-Wear derby, particularly with Angulo’s issue understood to be the more serious of the two. There was at least some good news mixed in, with both Granit Xhaka and Brian Brobbey returning to the starting XI, but Sunderland were again forced into a reshuffle.

The absences meant Chris Rigg was expected to shift out to the right, while Chemsdine Talbi came in on the left in place of Le Fée. Elsewhere, Lutsharel Geertruida got the nod at right back ahead of Luke O’Nien, while Trai Hume returned on the left side after serving his suspension in the FA Cup defeat to Port Vale. Noah Sadiki was also back involved in midfield after his own ban, giving Le Bris at least a little more experience in the middle of the pitch.

Even so, the team news underlined just how stretched Sunderland currently are. Le Bris was once again left naming an inexperienced bench by Premier League standards, though Dennis Cirkin’s return from a hamstring problem offered a timely boost. Harrison, Jenson and Jaydon Jones were all included among the substitutes, alongside talented young midfielder Jack Whittaker, while Milan Aleksic was absent because he was playing for the under-21s at Chelsea.

For Brighton, former Sunderland loanee Danny Welbeck returned to lead the line, while Lewis Dunk was also back in the starting XI after a minor injury issue - adding further experience and quality to Fabian Hurzeler’s side, which included ex-Newcastle United and Leeds United veteran, James Milner.

Enzo Le Fèe could make the derby on Sunday

Le Bris confirmed that both Angulo and Le Fée had suffered setbacks in training ahead of the game. The news forced another reshuffle of the Black Cats’ attacking options and added fresh uncertainty heading into next weekend’s Tyne-Wear derby.

Before the game, Le Bris provided an update on Angulo and Le Fee ahead of the game against Newcastle: “Yeah, they picked up injuries during the training session, which is a shame, but it is what it is. We are more or less in this cycle when it's hard to manage the load, but we still have a strong starting XI, players on the bench to help the squad. It's a bit early, probably for Nilson; it might last four weeks, six weeks, and for Enzo, it might be less. I hope for the derby against Newcastle.”

Frantic opening period minutes at Stadium of Light

After a frantic opening spell, Sunderland had already been involved in several key moments before the quarter-hour mark. Ellborg had been called into action early on, producing a smart save to deny Brighton. Dunk was forced to clear Talbi’s effort off the line as the visitors scrambled to keep the score level.

There was also a brief moment of concern for Sunderland when Sadiki was clattered on the touchline by Gomes around the 14-minute mark. The midfielder required treatment after the heavy challenge but was able to continue shortly afterwards as the game quickly resumed its breathless tempo.

There was another stoppage midway through the first half when Sadiki found himself down again after taking the ball flush in the face from point-blank range. The midfielder, already involved in a heavy earlier challenge, required treatment from the Sunderland physios before eventually getting back to his feet and continuing.

Sunderland stars clash with Jan Paul van Hecke

There was also a flashpoint around the half-hour mark following another Sunderland attack. Talbi almost slipped Rigg through on goal, but Jan Paul van Hecke, once linked with a move to the Stadium of Light on loan, produced a well-timed sliding challenge to block the youngster’s shot.

The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC Channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates direct to your phone. Simply click this link to join our SAFC WhatsApp channel.

The challenge sparked a few heated words between the pair, with Rigg immediately confronting the centre-back despite giving away a sizeable height advantage. Xhaka quickly stepped in to back up the teenager, exchanging his own words with Van Hecke before referee Thomas Kirk intervened to calm the situation and restore order.

Around the 36-minute mark there was a moment of concern for Sunderland when Ballard appeared to land awkwardly while chasing back towards his own goal. The centre-back was left limping for a few seconds and looked uncomfortable as play continued, but he was able to shake it off and carry on shortly afterwards.

Stadium of Light pays tribute to Sir Bob Murray

Half-time also brought a special moment inside the Stadium of Light as supporters paid tribute to former chairman Sir Bob Murray. The longest-serving chairman in Sunderland’s history was formally inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame during the break, with the presentation taking place as part of the club’s Foundation of Light matchday.

Murray, who led Sunderland between 1986 and 2006 after first joining the board in 1984, oversaw one of the most transformative periods in the club’s history and played a central role in shaping the modern club. As he addressed the crowd on the pitch, he was met with a warm reception from supporters around the stadium, with the moment greeted by loud applause from the home crowd.

Sunderland fans rally around Chris Rigg in second half

Sunderland supporters produced a classy moment for Rigg after the youngster thought he had scored his first Premier League goal for the club. The midfielder finished well, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside against Alderete in the build-up.

Rigg’s disappointment was clear to see as the decision was confirmed, but the Stadium of Light quickly rallied around the 18-year-old. Chants of “Chris Rigg, ole ole ole” rang out from the stands in a show of support, a gesture that felt particularly significant given the youngster has endured a difficult run of form in recent weeks.

Sunderland fall behind in controversial circumstances

Brighton took the lead just after the hour mark in slightly controversial circumstances. Diarra had gone down inside the Sunderland penalty area and was still prone on the turf when the move developed, with the ball eventually squeezed past Ellborg at his near post.

There also appeared to be a question over Van Hecke’s position in the build-up, with the defender seemingly standing in an offside position, though it looked tight, and potentially in the goalkeeper’s eyeline as the shot came in. Despite the protests from the home side, the goal stood and there was no obvious VAR intervention to review the incident.

Sunderland were then forced into a defensive change on 64 minutes when Ballard was unable to continue after picking up a knock. The centre-back, who had earlier appeared uncomfortable after landing awkwardly, eventually made way for O’Nien as Le Bris reshuffled his back line. Alderete came close to finding an equaliser on 74 minutes when he met a delivery with a powerful header, but the Brighton goalkeeper produced a strong save to keep it out.

Off the ball incident and Danny Welbeck moment

Moments later there was another flashpoint off the ball, with goalscorer Minteh - the former Newcastle man - shown a yellow card after appearing to shove O’Nien to the ground. The referee awarded Sunderland a free-kick following the incident as tempers briefly flared.There were further appeals from the home side soon after when Minteh then fouled Rigg, with some Sunderland players suggesting the Brighton attacker could have been shown a second yellow card. The referee opted against taking further action, and Minteh was substituted shortly afterwards.

Substitute De Cuyper then clattered into Sadiki in what looked like a collision with the midfielder’s head, prompting another brief stoppage as the Sunderland physios came on to assess him. At the same time, Le Bris made a change in attack with Brobbey making way for Mayenda with 13 minutes of the 90 remaining. Cirkin later replaced Talbi towards the end of the game.

A nice moment late on saw former Sunderland loanee Welbeck substituted in stoppage time, with the forward taking a moment to applaud all sides of the Stadium of Light as he made his way off the pitch. The gesture was warmly received by the home support, who clapped the striker in return in recognition of his time on Wearside. The former Manchester United and Arsenal also handed his shirt to a fan in the home end after the game.

Wilson Isidor left on bench with Sunderland chasing the game

Another interesting subplot late on was the absence of Isidor from the action despite Sunderland chasing the game. With attacking changes made elsewhere, the forward remained on the bench throughout, a decision that felt telling given the circumstances.

Isidor has produced some memorable moments for Sunderland and is widely regarded as a popular figure around the squad, which made his continued absence all the more noticeable as the minutes ticked down. It perhaps hinted that the trust which once saw him play a prominent role has faded somewhat in recent weeks.

Your next Sunderland read: 'I found a home' – Patrick Roberts issues final emotional goodbye to Sunderland fans after Birmingham move