Sunderland vs Middlesbrough match report: Alarming Wear-Tees derby defeat may give David Moyes sleepless nights

Sunderland 1 Middlesbrough 2: Two first-half goals from Cristhian Stuani gave Boro control of this game long before Patrick van Aanholt’s 71s minute strike offered Sunderland forlorn hope

Christian Stuani's wonder goal set the tone for Boro at the Stadium of Light (Getty)

David Moyes would not have checked in at Sunderland last month expecting an easy ride to mid-table safety and security, but after witnessing Middlesbrough’s comfortable Wear-Tees derby victory over his new team, the Scot can expect an even more difficult journey on his Premier League road to redemption.

Two first-half goals from Cristhian Stuani gave Boro control of this game long before Patrick van Aanholt’s 71s minute strike offered Sunderland forlorn hope of a late fightback.

Boro, promoted from the Championship last season, played like a team of seasoned top flight performers as Sunderland saw their miserable run of no Premier League victories in August stretch to sixteen games since their last success in 2010.

Things can only get better for Sunderland if Moyes is able to secure proven reinforcements during the final ten days of the transfer window, but it is a rebuilding job rather than merely a case of fine-tuning at the Stadium of Light.

Moyes inherited a squad shaken by the loss of Sam Allardyce for the England job, but despite the Wearsiders’ success in avoiding relegation last season, the Scot arrived knowing that work needed to be done to end the club’s annual fight for top flight survival.

He spoke in his programme notes of the need for Sunderland to ‘make sure we set our sights higher,’ but Moyes’s hand has been weakened by personnel problems in his squad.

David Moyes watches on in anguish on the side-lines (Getty)

The loss of centre-half Lamine Kone has been a major blow, although whether the Ivorian’s back problem has anything to do with Everton’s interest, only the defender will truly know.

Allowing Younes Kaboul to join Watford was perhaps a rash decision, one which looked even more of a gamble when captain John O’Shea limped out of this game midway through the first-half with a knee problem.

With Sebastian Larsson, Lee Cattermole, Jan Kirchhoff and Fabio Borini already sidelined due to injury, Moyes’s squad appears in dire need of reinforcements beyond the inexperienced quarter of Paddy McNair, Donald Love, Papa Djilobodji and Adnan Januzaj who have been signed by the new manager.

Inexperience and naivety was a central factor in Sunderland’s abject attempt to overcome their north-east neighbours.

Aside from Love, Januzaj and McNair – McNair was replaced by Jeremain Lens at half-time following an error-strewn first-half – Lynden Gooch and Duncan Watmore made up a quintet of players aged 22 or younger in Moyes’s team.

Middlesbrough are no team of veterans, but the seasoned nous of the likes of Stuani, Alvaro Negredo and Stewart Downing shone through at the Stadium of Light as Aitor Karanka’s team made easy work of their first Premier League victory since April 2009.

Other than some adventurous darts down the right by Januzaj, making his home debut following his season-long loan move from Manchester United, Sunderland barely looked like clawing themselves back into the game following Stuani’s thirteenth minute opener.

Jermain Defoe fluffed his lines in front of England scouts (Getty)

It was a poor goal for Sunderland concede, but one which highlighted the lack of bite in Moyes’s midfield in the absence of Cattermole and Larsson.

Negredo was afforded too much time in the Sunderland half to play the pass for Stuani to run onto, but even after the Uruguayan had received the ball, the home side’s back four dropped too quickly, failing to pressurise the Middlesbrough forward, who made them pay by sending a right-foot shot past goalkeeper Vito Mannone from 20 yards.

Gaston Ramirez went close to making it 2-0 two minutes later before Januzaj launched a brief flurry of runs in an attempt to drag Sunderland level.

But despite the Belgian winger’s dominance of Boro full-back George Friend, Sunderland’s forwards could not capitalise, with too many good opportunities wasted.

The loss of O’Shea on 36 minutes – the Irishman ‘s experience had been guiding the raw Djilobodji through the game – proved a crucial blow for Sunderland, with Moyes forced to move Jack Rodwell into centre-half from his midfield role.

Middlesbrough took advantage eight minutes later, with Van Aanholt playing Negredo onside for Adam Forshaw’s pass before the former Manchester City forward squared for Stuani to double the Teessiders’ lead.

Trailing 2-0, Sunderland were booed off at half-time – harsh, considering their depleted resources – but Moyes’s team clearly now had a mountain to climb.

They gave it their best shot early in the second-half, however, with Van Aanholt leading the charge from left-back, but Middlesbrough always seemed to be in full control until the Dutch defender struck on 71 minutes.

Prior to that lifeline, Januzaj had fluffed a clear chance from six yards, with goalkeeper Brad Guzan then producing a fingertip save to deny Van Aanholt.

Jermain Defoe then saw his goalbound shot blocked by Ben Gibson, but Sunderland were rewarded when Van Aanholt pounced on Guzan’s failure to hold onto Watmore’s shot by scoring from 12 yards on 71 minutes.

The game was now in the balance, but Middlesbrough’s superior quality and experience came to the fore, with Karanka’s players professionally closing out the victory.

Boro look organised, compact and infused with self-belief, but it will take a while for Sunderland to boast those three crucial qualities.