BBC Newcastle

Former Sunderland defender Gary Bennett on BBC Newcastle: "Middlesbrough are trying to take the sting out of the game, which is all credit to Sunderland.

"Lynden Gooch has done very well for Sunderland. He is a fighter, who has added some tempo and won a few tackles."

David Moyes makes his final change for Sunderland.

Duncan Watmore makes his way off the pitch, while 17-year-old Joel Asoro comes on.

Ten minutes left for the Black Cats to get something out of this game.

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David Ljunggren: Brad Guzan: most inexplicable signing by any Premier League team. Did no one at Boro actually watch him last season?

Greg Matthews: Guzan is a shocking goalkeeper. What an earth possessed Boro to bring him in? Calamity waiting to happen.  

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The more Sunderland push forward, the easier for Middlesbrough to hit them on the break.

Albert Adomah works some good play with Alvaro Negredo, but the midfielder's cross from the byeline drifts out of play.

RafM: Laughable the amount of people writing Sunderland off. We're 2 games in, and they only start performing after 28 games

Sammiiee: Duncan Watmore has been fantastic today.

With four goals, Patrick van Aanholt has scored more Premier League goals in 2016 than any other defender.

Not a bad player to have in your Fantasy Football teams, then.

Back to reality though, and Sunderland need another goal to get any points from this game. They'll get it if they keep pushing men forward.

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After that goal, Sunderland are piling on the pressure.

Patrick van Aanholt cuts a ball back across the face of goal but Jermain Defoe cannot get on the end of it.

Boro goalkeeper Brad Guzan is getting a little jittery now, spilling another shot but this time a Sunderland player cannot capitalise.

Can the visitors hang on?

BBC Newcastle

Former Sunderland defender Gary Bennett on BBC Newcastle: "Well done Patrick van Aanholt: He started it and followed it back in. Game on."

Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe is not happy with team-mate Duncan Watmore, who wants the English striker to make a run into the box, but Defoe says he wants it to his feet.

At the other end, Cristhian Stuani tries to repay Alvaro Negredo by playing the Spaniard through on goal, but the ex-Man City player's first touch is horrendous and Vito Mannone collects.

Dan Bell: Sunderland will finally go down after years of awful football. Big Sam can't save them this time

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Middlesbrough are inviting pressure by sitting back, but to be fair to them they have defended really well.

You would expect the side to do that with a manager who used to play for Real Madrid.

Adnan Januzaj has seen plenty of the ball for Sunderland.

The Belgian finds space on the right edge of the box and strikes a shot "at goal" which actually runs away for a throw-in.

Patrick van Aanholt then pulls a ball back to Jermain Defoe, but the striker uncharacteristically mis-cues in front of goal and Middlesbrough escape again.

Sunderland are starting to exert more pressure and have started this second half well.

Jeremain Lens draws Brad Guzan into another save, but this one was at a more comfortable height.

Can they find a way past the American goalkeeper?

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Jeremain Lens should really have started this match from Sunderland. He cuts the ball back into the path of Adnan Januzaj, but the Belgian mis-kicks it from inside the area.

Sunderland left-back Patrick van Aanholt then strikes a low shot which is heading into the bottom corner, but Brad Guzan shows superb reflexes to get down low to his left to tip the ball away.

A stunning save which preserves his clean sheet.

First change for Middlesbrough as boss Aitor Karanka freshens things up.

Albert Adomah comes on for Gaston Ramirez.

Lee Stevenson: No wonder Sunderland fans are disillusioned. It's looking like another season all about survival and we're not even two games into it. 

No Cattermole, no Kirchcoff and no Larson and no quality replacements. Kabul sold and Kone needs to leave if he's not happy at the club. Once again Sunderland have badly failed to improve a frequently struggling squad.

Moses Govender: Moyes took United from 1st to 7th. I fear where he will take this Sunderland team to...

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Sunderland do have a slight sniff when Lynden Gooch shoots from the edge of the box, but the American's strike comes off Nsue, who then whacks the ball away to safety.

That chance came after Gooch won the ball in the middle of the pitch. The home side need more of their players to put the foot in to the opposition.

Aimless ball forward from Sunderland defender Papy Djilobodji, which goes through to Middlesbrough goalkeeper Brad Guzan.

The home side won't get back into the match that way. Really poor play.

The ball is played into the feet of Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe in the box and he goes down under the challenge of Antonio Barragan coming in from behind, but referee Martin Atkinson waves away the penalty appeals.

Would have been a soft one.

Image source, PA