Sunderland vs Stoke City. Sky Bet Championship.
Stadium of LightAttendance40,053.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Sunderland and Stoke City at the Stadium of Light as Alex Neil saw his side thump five past the Black Cats on Saturday afternoon.
Saturday 4 March 2023 18:51, UK
Alex Neil celebrated a comprehensive 5-1 win on his return to Sunderland with Stoke, on what turned out to be a controversial afternoon at the Stadium of Light.
A frustrated Tony Mowbray, who replaced Neil on Wearside last August following promotion, was cautioned for questioning the manner in which the Potters scored the opener four minutes before half-time through Josh Laurent.
After that Stoke wrapped things up with two second-half goals each for Tyrese Campbell and Dwight Gayle sealing a comfortable victory, despite Alex Pritchard pulling one back in between for Sunderland.
The PA announcer also had to ask supporters not to throw missiles after something appeared to be thrown at former Newcastle striker Gayle as he celebrated his first goal close to a section of the home supporters.
There was very little between the two sides when Laurent's opener arrived after an incident that incensed Sunderland.
Referee Jeremy Simpson had stopped play for a head injury when Ki-Jana Hoever was wiped out by his goalkeeper, Matija Sarkic, as he missed a punch for the ball.
When defender Morgan Fox cleared off the line during that attack, Sunderland appeared to be in control before the official stopped play.
Simpson chose to restart by dropping an uncontested ball for Sarkic. He immediately rolled out to Hoever, who had just been allowed to re-enter the field of play, and his pass led to Stoke attacking down the right. Will Smallbone's cutback was perfect for Laurent to hammer in.
Simpson side-stepped Mowbray and cautioned him after he had approached him on the field of play after the half-time whistle, and boos rang around the Stadium of Light.
The home side found no way back, meaning a third successive defeat and they are now six points from sixth place in the table, as Stoke inflicted a record-equalling heaviest defeat for Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
Before the first goal, Jack Clarke and Amad Diallo had threatened at times to breakdown the Stoke defence.
But when the second half got under way, with Stoke leading and Sarkic replaced by Jack Bonham in the Stoke goal, things got even better for the visitors.
Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil's attempted backpass was charged down by Gayle in the 53rd minute and the striker quickly found Smallbone, whose pass left Campbell with the simple task of tapping into an empty net.
Less than four minutes later Campbell brilliantly curled in his second after seeing an initial shot blocked.
Pritchard pulled one back for Sunderland by turning in Patrick Roberts' low cross at the near post in the 63rd minute but Gayle powered in from close range six minutes later after Patterson had denied Fox.
With 14 minutes remaining Gayle, enjoying his first game at this venue, headed in Smallbone's free-kick to finish the scoring - and he narrowly missed being hit with a missile too.
Sunderland's Tony Mowbray:
"I wanted an explanation from him. I don't mind him flashing the yellow, why isn't he able to have a discussion? But why did they drop the ball at the keeper's feet when we had the ball six or seven seconds, or at least tell them to give the ball back? I don't want to change the narrative because credit to Stoke - but it was ridiculous.
"It is hard for the team, the supporters, the club. It was difficult to foresee it coming, I would suggest. It was difficult to see it coming. It didn't feel like a normal Sunderland game where we are in control. Over recent games we have struggled to score goals to win games."
Stoke's Alex Neil:
"I loved it when I was here. I wanted to move this club forward. I have nothing but good things to say about the club. What is disappointing and frustrating is that I have been painted the villain. There is a lot of untrue things that have been said about me. I will take it on the chin, I won't cry. I enjoyed winning but that is for the people who understand the dynamics of the situation because I am not the bad guy.
"We knew the type of game it would be. We wanted to make sure we restricted them playing in the pockets they do. We didn't want them to have any flow. The game plan worked as well as it could. The first goal opens it up even more, it left more space for us to counter. It was a great worked goal. I can understand Sunderland's frustration. Ki has just come back on. I was actually saying the same in the first half when he let Dan Ballard back on. He did it for both teams."
