Bowyer shows Graham that small can be beautiful

Sunderland 0 Leeds United 1

Tony Yeboah made a impressive return to the Leeds side, but, as he readily admits, he has still to make an impression on George Graham.

The Ghanaian striker, playing only his second game of the season, would have made a scoring return but for the intervention of the legs of the Sunderland goalkeeper, Lionel Perez, twice, and a crossbar. And while the Leeds fans were happy to see the 30-year-old return, Yeboah acknowledged: "I know the fans like me but the important thing is whether the manager likes you. I always play with confidence... I want to do something extra but I want to do it for the team.

"Leeds are a very strong team now and I have to fight for my position."

Youth rather than experience caught Graham's eye, however, and he lauded the performance of Lee Bowyer, whose 49th-minute strike - his sixth goal of the season - provided the visitors with the three points that moved them to ninth place in the table.

Graham said: "Lee Bowyer will go on to become a very good player. He just loves playing football and he has a great appetite for the game. He has got a lot of learning to do, though. He has to pick his time to make runs and learn when to go forward... and we've got to build him up. But Leeds have had some great midfield players, like Billy Bremner, who were small."

Sunderland's disjointed display and damaging result mean they will face a tough fight for survival over the next 10 weeks, probably without their stylish left-back, Martin Scott. He sustained a suspected fractured fibula midway through the second half, but played on until the end.

Scott, making his comeback after 11 games out with a groin injury, was taken to hospital after the game and had surgery yesterday morning.

Goal: Bowyer (49) 0-1.

Sunderland: Perez; Hall, Scott, Melville, Ord, Gray (Russell, 51), Williams (Smith, h-t), Bracewell, Ball, Kelly, Mullin (Rae, 76). Substitutes not used: Preece (gk), Kubicki.

Leeds United: Martyn; Kelly, Dorigo (Harte, 22), Radebe, Sharpe, Rush, Deane, Bowyer, Halle, Yeboah (Wallace 86), Molenaar. Substitutes not used: Beeney (gk), Palmer, Wetherall.

Bookings: Sunderland Ball, Rae. Leeds Molenaar.

Referee: G Poll (Tring).

Man of the match: Bowyer

Attendance: 21,890.