Life in the Championship just gets bleaker and bleaker for Sunderland as the Black Cats fell to their eighth defeat of the season as Middlesbrough dominated the Tees-Wear derby.
Marcus Tavernier's sixth minute goal at the Riverside Stadium proved enough for Gary Monk's side to see off their struggling opponents despite a late onslaught from their visitors.
A nasty injury suffered by Didier N'Dong from a rough landing in the second half rubbed salt into the Sunderland wounds and the Gabon midfielder was forced to exit the derby ahead of a likely lengthy absence.
