Sunderland

Frank Lampard made four changes after last week's 1-0 defeat at Fulham, and every one of them counted. In front of 31,455 at the Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry beat a careless Sunderland 3-1 and climbed out of the relegation zone. Régis Le Bris's side stay bottom.

It was 2-0 at half-time and 3-0 seven minutes after it. Enzo Le Fée's penalty gave Sunderland a sniff, but Stephen Mfuni made sure that was all it was. In stoppage time, Omar Alderete was sent off.

Gifts from the Black Cats

Victor Torp was booked inside seven minutes for a rash challenge on Chris Rigg, and Sunderland had their moments early on. Rigg's effort lacked power and went straight to Carl Rushworth. Then, on 17 minutes, came the first of the afternoon's gifts. Trai Hume failed to clear a ball into the box properly, and it fell to Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, who swept it into the bottom far corner. It was his first Premier League goal.

Really poor defending. Sunderland had a good chance beforehand from a corner but it was a poor clearance and it was a brilliant finish into the bottom corner by Tatsuhiro Sakamoto. Goalkeeper Robin Roefs needs to do better.

Ellen White, former England striker, BBC Final Score

Brian Brobbey dragged a big chance to equalise wide. Robin Roefs tipped Torp's free-kick round the post. Then, on 37 minutes, Taiwo Awoniyi took the ball off Luke O'Nien, and nobody picked up his run. He bore down on goal and slotted into the far corner, a tiny deflection unable to keep it out. It was his first league goal since signing in the summer, on his first start since he was sent off in the 5-0 home defeat by Brighton on 13 September.

Rudoni puts it beyond them

Sunderland had lost every one of their previous 48 Premier League games when trailing by two or more at the break. They didn't look like ending that run. Seven minutes after half-time, Torp teed up Jack Rudoni and he was allowed to get a shot away from outside the box. It took a deflection off Alderete, wrong-footed Roefs and nestled into the bottom corner.

Defending for Sunderland has gone wrong today. Making a lot of unforced errors. Coventry have been brilliant.

Ellen White, BBC Final Score

Le Bris sent on Chemsdine Talbi and Wilson Isidor for Nilson Angulo and Rigg. Talbi dragged one agonisingly wide. Then came a long VAR check. Simon Hooper went to the monitor, took his time, and decided Luke O'Nien's shot had struck Ethan Pinnock's arm. Le Fée sent Rushworth the wrong way from the spot.

Mfuni stands firm

With just over 20 minutes left, Sunderland had a sniff of the impossible. O'Nien thought he had a second, but Mfuni threw himself in front of it, and his team-mates applauded him as if they had scored. Mfuni had come into the side in place of Bobby Thomas.

Matt Grimes replaced Torp as Lampard looked to see it out. Rushworth needed treatment late on, and Rudoni's free-kick slipped under the wall and was turned behind by Roefs. In the ninth minute of stoppage time, Alderete, booked moments earlier, brought down Rudoni and went off down the tunnel.

Sunderland finished with more shots, more of the ball and a higher xG. It didn't matter. Coventry scored three times from four shots on target and an xG of 0.71. Sunderland, one of the meanest defences in the league last season, have now let in 17 in nine games, and Alderete will be suspended for next week's game against Chelsea. Coventry were clinical, Sunderland were sloppy, and the table has shifted accordingly.

"It's obvious"

Lampard had asked for a response after Fulham. He got one, and he liked the way it came.

I love the way we approached it. Don't sit back, keep pushing and doing the same things, but it won't always be that way.

Frank Lampard, Coventry City manager, to Sky Sports

Even when it went to 3-1 and we had to see it out professionally, I thought we did.

Frank Lampard

Le Bris did not dress it up. Asked whether Sunderland are now in a relegation battle, his answer took two words.

It's obvious. If you look at the table, there's no doubt about the situation.

Régis Le Bris, Sunderland head coach, post-match press conference (Sunderland Echo)

Consistency is the key word in this league. We gave two opportunities from two unforced errors and it changed the game.

Régis Le Bris, to Sky Sports

The away end booed at the whistle. "It was totally understandable," said Le Bris, who insisted he still has the backing of the club and the dressing room. Zagreb comes next, then Chelsea, without Alderete.