Sunderland 2-1 Birmingham City: Amad Diallo hits winner as Blues let lead slip

Sunderland's on-loan Manchester United youngster Amad Diallo has now scored four times in the last three games

Sunderland won for the first time in six home league games as they came from behind to beat Birmingham City - and give their faltering Championship play-off hopes a big boost.

On-loan Manchester United forward Amad Diallo scored an excellent individual goal to complete the turnaround for Tony Mowbray's men.

Blues led on 29 minutes when Juninho Bacuna set up Tahith Chong, who squared for teenager George Hall to run the ball into an unguarded net.

But that lead did not last - and Sunderland levelled three minutes into first-half injury time when Patrick Roberts headed Alex Pritchard's cross back across goal for 21-year-old Trai Hume to score his first goal for Sunderland.

Diallo then latched onto a crossfield ball from Jack Clarke on 75 minutes before keeping his cool to finish for a 12th goal of the season.

Sunderland had Dennis Cirkin sent off just three minutes later for a foul on Chong, but the hosts hung on to complete a double over Blues, who suffered only their second defeat in eight games.

Teenager George Hall's goal was his second for Blues - his first since August

Sunderland's win lifts them to ninth, back within a point of the play-off positions.

But they had to rally well after being caught cold by Blues' opener, when Bacuna broke down the middle to find Chong on the right and the winger unselfishly squared the ball for Hall to score.

They were level into the break when Pritchard's well-worked corner found Hume free at the back post.

And they got the winner when Clarke's brilliant crossfield pass found Diallo and he cut into the box, before firing into the bottom left corner.

Cirkin was then sent off for a second yellow card, for a foul on Chong, but 10-man Sunderland saw out the last 10 minutes.

Who's next?

Sunderland's next game is on Tuesday at home to Neil Warnock's improving Huddersfield.

Blues are again on the road at Millwall, also on Tuesday, when they face their latest reunion with Gary Rowett, the man the current owners sacked when they were seventh in the Championship in December 2016.

Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray:

"It was important to score before half-time for us, to give the dressing room the confidence and belief that we could go on and win. We left the dressing room after half-time believing we were going to win.

"When you've got players like Amad Diallo in your team who can do what he did, as he did in the reverse fixture, a very similar type of goal, we've always got a chance.

"Clarke's done it many times this season, Patrick Roberts has done it, Diallo's done it. We do have players in our team that can unlock the best of defensive units."

"Obviously Dennis is suspended now. That throws another issue into the scenario for us with selection but we're looking forward to Tuesday and seeing if we can find three points off Huddersfield."

Birmingham City manager John Eustace:

"I was very pleased with the performance. We were excellent. First half we were very good.

"But I was really disappointed with the manner we conceded the goal. That's not like us. Real sloppy from the set-piece and we've been outstanding all season from those.

"So to lose two or three headers in a row and give them a lifeline just before half-time was disappointing.

"We certainly didn't deserve to lose. We played against a good team who are pushing through in the play-offs and we went toe-to-toe with them."