Sunderland clinched a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Middlesbrough, with Boro manager Michael Carrick suggesting that a referee error could have altered the outcome.

The decisive moment came from Chris Rigg’s impressive backheel goal, marking Sunderland’s fifth win in their last six Championship matches and solidifying their promotion ambitions. Carrick contested an early first-half challenge by Trai Hume on Emmanuel Latte Lath, arguing it warranted a red card rather than the yellow shown.

While Carrick highlighted the controversial incident, the overall gameplay demonstrated Sunderland’s superiority over Middlesbrough, who struggled to generate scoring opportunities. Despite limited chances, Sunderland capitalized on Rigg’s moment of brilliance to secure the win, emphasizing the importance of seizing key moments in football matches.

Carrick’s grievances aside, Middlesbrough’s inability to respond effectively allowed Sunderland to claim the victory and assert their promotion credentials.