Newcomers display the survival instinct

Derby County 1 Sunderland

Is it inevitable that one of these clubs will go down? Or will they both, somehow, defy the odds and survive, ready to fight for scraps at the rich man's table another year?

It may not seem much of a future, but neither club can realistically aspire to greater things so long as the wealth of the Premiership remains concentrated in the hands of a few. Heaven forbid that either be relegated, committed as they both are to leaving behind the shabby relics of their past and bunking off to shiny new grounds.

So what are their chances? So far, the case for Derby, skilfully rebuilt by Jim Smith, looks stronger. They have looked out of their depth against no one, Manchester United included, and possess players of unmistakable quality in Igor Stimac and Aljosa Asanovic. Christian Dailly is one to keep an eye on, also.

They might consider they made heavy weather of winning this game, given that from the 25th minute onwards they had one man more than their opponents. But then Sunderland have been coached to keep their discipline, and it was a tribute to this that 10 men in red and white stripes were no easier to beat than 11. A draw would have been seen by most as reasonable.

Until the final 15 minutes, when shots began to rain on Tony Coton's goal, Derby's dominance had been kept at arm's length. And then Coton seemed to be saving the day, pulling off one stop after another to defy Marco Gabbiadini twice, Dailly and Jacob Laursen.

At last, however, Asanovic won a penalty, quite legitimately, in a wrestling match with Gareth Hall in which the latter was clearly the offender. Despatching the kick himself, he sent Coton the wrong way.

The man sent off was Richard Ord, shown two yellow cards in the space of four minutes. Booked first for a foul, he was dismissed for his outspokenness four minutes later, or rather the words he chose.

Sunderland complained that the referee was too easily offended. "I've said worse to the missus," Kevin Ball, their captain, said. They seemed unhappy, too, with Gabbiadini's role in the first booking, suggesting his reaction to Ord's tackle from behind was a little dramatic.

But rules are rules and they should know by now that here is one official who does not interpret them loosely.

Goal: Asanovic pen (84) 1-0.

Derby County (5-3-2): Hoult; Laursen, Rowett, Stimac, Carbon (Ward 67), C Powell; Van Der Laan (Simpson 79), Asanovic, D Powell; Dailly, Gabbiadini. Substitutes not used: Taylor (gk), Carsley, Parker.

Sunderland (4-4-2): Coton; Hall, Melville, Ord, Scott; Agnew, Bracewell (Howey 73), Ball, Gray; Quinn (Bridges 73), Stewart (Rae 45). Substitutes not used: Smith, Perez.

Referee: D Elleray (Harrow)

Bookings: Derby: Stimac, D Powell. Sunderland: Ord, Quinn, Rae, Agnew.

Sent off: Ord (26).

Man of the match: Coton.

Attendance: 17,692.