After the events on the eve of the match, it could have gone either way. Less than 24 hours after Sunderland's erstwhile talisman Alex Neil had said his farewells and agreed to take over at Stoke City, the Black Cats took on Norwich City - a club that had competed in the Premier League last season, and that had started the season as favourites for an immediate return to the top tier.
Given how things had worked out in February before Neil arrived when the team was last between managers in the wake of Lee Johnson's sacking - defeats at home to League One basement side Doncaster Rovers, and at newly-promoted Cheltenham Town - fans could be forgiven for fearing the worst. After all, two thirds of the starters against Norwich also began the games against Doncaster and Cheltenham.
But while Neil has now gone, the team he has left behind is these days made of sterner stuff. And rather than implode in a fit of self-pity at the departure of a head coach that was as popular in the dressing room as he had been amongst fans, they turned in the kind of performance that was their hallmark in the run to promotion at Wembley last season and carried over into the current Championship campaign.
READ MORE: Norwich City boss Dean Smith praises Sunderland supporters after Canaries' win on Wearside
Yes, they ended up empty-handed in the end. Purely on the balance of play, however, it was no exaggeration to say that you would have been hard-pressed to tell which of these sides had played in the Premier League last season and which had been in League One.
Sunderland hit the woodwork twice, once when Ross Stewart saw his volley hit Tim Krul and deflect onto the crossbar, and again when Ellis Simms' downward header bounced up and hit the post. Ex-Norwich man Alex Pritchard saw a shot blocked on the line.
And there were multiple other chances which were blocked, saved, or deflected, as Sunderland took the game to the Canaries. Norwich had their moments too with Josh Sargent always a danger, although Luke O'Nien in particular was outstanding in defence for the Black Cats.
For an hour or so, Sunderland looked the likely winners, but the difference was in the strength of the two squads. On the hour Norwich were able to bring on players of the quality of Teemu Pukki, Todd Cantwell, and Aaron Ramsey, to give them an extra push.
In the opposite dugout, the reinforcements that Neil had been pushing for ahead of Thursday's transfer deadline have still to arrive. One, Paris St Germain midfielder Edouard Michut , was sitting in the stand watching with his move expected to be confirmed imminently, but that was of no use in the latter stages of yesterday's game.
Eventually, Pukki and Ramsey combined down the left, with the latter's low cross leaving Sargent with a tap-in. It was a disappointing result but a hugely encouraging performance, which was recognised by the Sunderland fans who backed their team to the hilt - while a section also hit out at their former favourite Neil, proving just how quickly the world turns.
Half-an-hour after full-time at the Stadium of Light, 120 miles away at Ewood Park Neil was taking his place in the stands to watch Stoke take on Blackburn. Neil's exit, the reasons behind it, and a divide between supporters over whether the club should have done more to keep him, or whether Neil's significant pay rise at Stoke proved that he had been undervalued on Wearside, was the backdrop against which this game was played out.
But what is more important now is the question of who will replace him, with former Blackburn, Middlesbrough and Celtic boss Tony Mowbray a leading early contender Identifying the right person, someone willing to work within the limitations of Sunderland's budget and who buys into the 'model' adopted by the club, is paramount.
That task falls to Kristjaan Speakman and the club's recruitment team, who we are told always have a succession plan in place for all key roles. To their credit, they got it right in February when they appointed Neil, even though he was far from a universally popular choice at the time.
But Neil will be a hard act to follow.
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