I just watched Sunderland's heaviest defeat of the season - this is what went wrong

Sunderland had come into this game dreaming of Europe and a top half finish, but what followed was a stark reality check.

For much of this season they have taken pride in defending their box with purpose, in their intensity and the way they have consistently outfought teams. In a dismal half hour spell in this first half, they were found wanting on every level.

Nottingham Forest came with an attacking strategy and were rewarded for their enterprise, but fundamentally the difference between the two sides was in concentration and intensity. Sunderland were slack and made error after error - they are simply not a good enough team at this level to approach a game like this.

The opening exchanges gave the impression that this could be a classic, Nottingham Forest setting up in a genuine 4-4-2 and swarming all over Sunderland from the off. That offered opportunity for Sunderland if they got the ball through the first press, but right from the off they were slack in possession and that forced Roefs into some decent saves. Both teams looked more than capable, though, and the hosts spurned a golden opportunity when Le Fee slid in Rigg with a lovely pass - the midfielder firing straight at Sels.

Sunderland were dangerous, but kept coughing up possession and inviting pressure. Before long, it cost them. They switched off from a short corner and Hutchinson whipped an excellent ball to the back post, where Jesus had peeled away and was left unmarked. He headed it off Hume, who could do nothing as the ball beat Roefs and found the back of the net.

It was a big setback for the hosts but the opening 25 minutes had been so open that the game still appeared there for either side. Sunderland just couldn't get to the level of intensity they needed. The second goal was slack once again, Roefs under little pressure but passing into the path of the lurking Wood. Gibbs-White pounced and teed Wood up, who dinked a clever finish over Roefs. Sunderland held an impromptu huddle in the middle of the pitch before play restarted but whatever was said, the message wasn't heeded.

To switch off once at a set play is sloppy, to do it three times was inexplicable. Again Forest broke quickly and earned a corner, and again Sunderland didn't read the threat as they took it short. This time from the right flank the ball was again crossed to the back post, where Jesus was again unmarked. This time he nodded the ball into the path of Gibbs-White, who smashed a drive past Roefs. Barely five minutes had past when Sunderland half cleared a free kick, only for Aina's follow-up effort to be deflected to the back post. There, unmarked again, was Jesus who drove into the back of the net.

To the credit of the visitors, they had been rewarded for their ultra-aggressive set up and their ability to win set plays by breaking quickly in wide areas. Sunderland had been caught cold and it had turned into a night no one saw coming. There were angry words exchanged between Mukiele and the crowd at the interval, with Le Bris moving to try and shore things up by introducing Reinildo.

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Reinildo’s arrival and Sunderland’s switch to a back five did bring the hosts some defensive stability, but they struggled to create anything of note. A sequence of set pieces were easily dealt with by the visitors, the contrast between the threat of the two teams from those situations stark.

Sunderland thought they had a lifeline when Xhaka got his delivery spot on with half an hour to play, Mukiele’s header blocked but forced over the line on the follow up by Ballard. VAR intervened initially to check the offside on Mukiele, but then for a foul when it was established the defender was onside. Controversially, after a four-minute delay the referee was sent to the screen and ruled that Mukiele fouled Sels as he slid after connecting with the header. It was a marginal call, and whether it was clear and obvious debatable in the extreme.

Comfortable in their four-goal lead, Forest made defensive changes to shore up and protect three valuable points. With Isidor on Sunderland started to dominate possession and play in more advanced areas, but it would be a stretch to say that they ever threatened much of a comeback. Sels did make one stunning save from Le Fee’s half volley but Sunderland were well beaten here, Anderson adding a fifth in stoppage time as Forest broke once more.