Less than a week after scoring in a 3-2 defeat to Chelsea, Josh King spurned a promising opportunity to grab another with the first meaningful chance at the Stadium of Light, blasting over the crossbar after making an untracked run to latch onto Alex Iwobi’s inch-perfect through ball.
King’s wayward effort ultimately proved to be one of the brightest moments of an underwhelming first period that required minimal activity from either goalkeeper.
Frustratingly for the neutral, the cagey nature of the contest continued after the half-time break, forcing Regis Le Bris and Alvaro Arbeloa to make double changes to their respective sides around the midway point of the second period in a bid to add some much-needed impetus to proceedings.
One of Le Bris’ substitutes, Wilson Isidor, went agonisingly close to making an immediate impact when he fired against the upright following an incisive counter-attack.
Fortunately for Isidor, he was presented with the chance to make amends in the 75th minute when his fellow substitute Habib Diarra raced down the right flank and played a low cross that evaded the charging Bernd Leno, leaving the striker with the simple task of stroking home his seventh Premier League goal.
Romaine Mundle drilled a late chance straight at Leno, but his miss proved insignificant as Isidor’s strike clinched Sunderland’s first win of the season, just days after he penned a new five-year contract with the club.
The Cottagers will finish the weekend no higher than 15th after starting a Premier League season with consecutive defeats for the first time in six years, while the hosts climb to 11th spot for the time being.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Granit Xhaka (Sunderland)