Malbranque carried the ball into the Birmingham half before feeding Bent on the edge of the area and the England man turned inside the covering Birmingham defender and fired past Joe Hart.

BBC: Sunderland 3-1 Birmingham

It needed a goal-line clearance from Albanian debutant Drissa Diallo, impressive throughout, to preserve the status quo and spare the blushes of Michopoulos, who misjudged a cross to present Darren Bent with the ball on the edge of the area.

BBC: Burnley 1-1 Ipswich

The Blades had been chasing victory with substitute Marcus Bent guilty of missing a gilt-edged chance from Bjorn Helge Riise's corner on the edge of the six-yard box while Joe Mattock lashed a 20-yard volley wide.

BBC: Sheff Utd 1-2 Middlesbrough