Sunderland vs Manchester United. Premier League.
Stadium of LightAttendance41,687.
Saturday 13 February 2016 22:38, UK
Sunderland boosted their survival hopes with a 2-1 victory over Manchester United on Saturday - their first Premier League win over the Red Devils at the Stadium of Light.
The Black Cats raced into an early lead thanks to Wahbi Khazri's third-minute strike before Anthony Martial hauled United level with his 10th goal of the season on 39 minutes.
The hosts created the better chances after the break and deservedly edged in front as Lamine Kone's powerful header forced David de Gea to turn the ball into his own net.
Sunderland saw out the victory with relative ease to move to within a point of rivals Newcastle and safety, while United remain fifth, six points adrift of fourth place.
United travelled to Wearside looking to apply some pressure on the clubs directly above them in the league and made one change to the side which drew at Chelsea last weekend, as Morgan Schneiderlin replaced Marouane Fellaini in midfield.
Sam Allardyce handed Dame N'Doye his first start and Khazri his home debut following their arrivals in January, and the latter made the perfect start as United were caught cold on three minutes.
Khazri's low, in-swinging free-kick from the left crucially evaded Jermain Defoe and the United defence before it nestled in the far corner of the unsighted de Gea's goal.
Falling behind seemed to kicked United into gear but they struggled to break down a resolute Black Cats defence, with Wayne Rooney denied the chance to respond by Kone immediately after.
Sunderland could, and probably should, have been two up in 10 minutes as Lee Cattermole forced the ball into Defoe but the striker miscued his effort from close range.
Within two minutes the hosts had to reshuffle their defensive set up as Jan Kirchhoff was forced off with a suspected hamstring injury, but they continued to keep United at bay.
It took United 31 minutes to register an attempt on the Sunderland goal and, when it did arrive, Juan Mata's well-struck effort went straight down Vito Mannone's throat.
United's defensive injury crisis then deepened as Matteo Darmian was then forced off with a shoulder injury, with 21-year-old Donald Love replacing the right-back.
Undeterred, United pushed forward and were soon level. Having denied Mata earlier, Mannone made a meal of the Spaniard's second attempt, pawing it into the path of Martial who chipped the ball home from an acute angle six minutes before the interval.
Sunderland started the second half in similar fashion to which they had the first and had strong penalty claims denied on 48 minutes, with referee Andre Marriner ruling Rooney not to have deliberately handled John O'Shea's flick-on in the box.
The Black Cats then laid siege on the United goal but Defoe failed to turn Patrick van Aanholt's cross home at the near post as Daley Blind cleared.
Shortly after the hour-mark, De Gea stuck a leg out to deflect N'Doye's goal-bound effort away before leaping to his left to deny Khazri's free-kick.
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson then supplied substitute Memphis Depay with United's best chance ten minutes from time, but Mannone saved the Dutchman's curling strike.
And the visitors were made to pay just two minutes later. Kone rose highest to meet Khazri's corner and his header forced De Gea to inadvertently fumble the ball over the line, handing the Black Cats their first home league win over United since 1997.
Player ratings
Sunderland: Mannone (6), Yedlin (6), O'Shea (8), Kone (9), van Aanholt (7), Kirchhoff (5), Cattermole (7), M'Vila (6), Khazri (8), N'Doye (6), Defoe (7).
Used subs: Rodwell (7), Borini (5), Toivonen (5).
Man Utd: De Gea (7), Darmian (5), Smalling (6), Blind (7), Borthwick-Jackson (8), Schneiderlin (6), Carrick (7), Lingard (6), Mata (7), Martial (8), Rooney (7).
Used subs: Love (6), Memphis (5), Keane (5).
Man of the Match: Lamine Kone.