Follow live coverage as Sunderland face Swansea City in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Relegation from the top flight last term means Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will Norwich City, an improving Coventry and beaten play-off finalists Leeds United. At the other end of the table, Wayne Rooney is aiming to revive Plymouth’s fortunes after they narrowly avoided relegation last year, with Portsmouth and Derby the teams promoted from League One along with play-off final winners Oxford.
Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Sunderland AFC 0 - 1 Swansea City AFC
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:57Match ends, Sunderland 0, Swansea City 1.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:55Second Half ends, Sunderland 0, Swansea City 1.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:55Attempt blocked. Enzo Le Fée (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:55Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Harry Darling.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:55Luke O'Nien (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:55Substitution, Swansea City. Kyle Naughton replaces Eom Ji-Sung.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:52Foul by Enzo Le Fée (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:52Foul by Salis Abdul Samed (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:51Hand ball by Zan Vipotnik (Swansea City).
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:51Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:50Foul by Milan Aleksic (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:50Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Lawrence Vigouroux.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:46Substitution, Sunderland. Leo Hjelde replaces Alan Browne.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:46Substitution, Swansea City. Florian Bianchini replaces Ronald.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:46Substitution, Swansea City. Joe Allen replaces Gonçalo Franco.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:46Attempt blocked. Enzo Le Fée (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:42Enzo Le Fée (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:43Attempt blocked. Eliezer Mayenda (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:46Attempt blocked. Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:40Attempt saved. Trai Hume (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:40Substitution, Sunderland. Salis Abdul Samed replaces Dan Neil.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:40Substitution, Sunderland. Milan Aleksic replaces Tom Watson.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:40Enzo Le Fée (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:40Attempt missed. Enzo Le Fée (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Tom Watson following a set piece situation.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:37Ben Cabango (Swansea City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:35Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:31Chris Mepham (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:31Attempt missed. Trai Hume (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Tom Watson with a cross.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:31Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Joshua Key.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:31Attempt blocked. Eliezer Mayenda (Sunderland) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Enzo Le Fée.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:30Substitution, Swansea City. Ollie Cooper replaces Jay Fulton.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:29Substitution, Swansea City. Zan Vipotnik replaces Liam Cullen.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:26Attempt blocked. Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Luke O'Nien.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:22Jay Fulton (Swansea City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:22Foul by Jay Fulton (Swansea City).
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:26Dan Neil (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:22Attempt blocked. Eom Ji-Sung (Swansea City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ben Cabango.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:21Trai Hume (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:21Foul by Trai Hume (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:19Substitution, Sunderland. Enzo Le Fée replaces Chris Rigg.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:19Substitution, Sunderland. Eliezer Mayenda replaces Harrison Jones.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:18Goal! Sunderland 0, Swansea City 1. Ronald (Swansea City) right footed shot from very close range following a set piece situation.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:18Harry Darling (Swansea City) hits the woodwork with a right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:17Foul by Tom Watson (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:13Attempt missed. Ronald (Swansea City) left footed shot from the right side of the box.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:12Foul by Wilson Isidor (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:16Offside, Swansea City. Joshua Key is caught offside.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:11Foul by Alan Browne (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:06Alan Browne (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
16:05Second Half begins Sunderland 0, Swansea City 0.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:49First Half ends, Sunderland 0, Swansea City 0.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:49Foul by Trai Hume (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:48Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Joshua Key.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:48Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:46Offside, Sunderland. Wilson Isidor is caught offside.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:46Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:46Foul by Jay Fulton (Swansea City).
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:46Attempt missed. Joshua Key (Swansea City) header from the left side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Eom Ji-Sung with a cross.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:43Offside, Sunderland. Dan Neil is caught offside.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:43Foul by Chris Mepham (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:43Tom Watson (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:43Foul by Dan Neil (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:43Offside, Sunderland. Wilson Isidor is caught offside.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:42Offside, Sunderland. Wilson Isidor is caught offside.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:42Lewis O'Brien (Swansea City) is shown the yellow card.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:42Chris Mepham (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:42(Sunderland) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:39Luke O'Nien (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:35Attempt blocked. Tom Watson (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:34Attempt saved. Tom Watson (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:27Foul by Chris Mepham (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:28Lewis O'Brien (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:25Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:24Delay in match because of an injury Harrison Jones (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:24Attempt blocked. Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:24Eom Ji-Sung (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:22Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:22Delay in match because of an injury Gonçalo Franco (Swansea City).
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:18Attempt missed. Lewis O'Brien (Swansea City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the left.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:16Corner, Swansea City. Conceded by Trai Hume.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:14Attempt missed. Lewis O'Brien (Swansea City) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Ronald with a cross.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:12Foul by Gonçalo Franco (Swansea City).
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:10Offside, Swansea City. Harry Darling is caught offside.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:10Foul by Trai Hume (Sunderland).
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:07Offside, Sunderland. Wilson Isidor is caught offside.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:07Dan Neil (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:03Luke O'Nien (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:04Foul by Liam Cullen (Swansea City).
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:02Attempt saved. Lewis O'Brien (Swansea City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
15:01First Half begins.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Sunderland vs Swansea City
13:00Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
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