It was yet another afternoon to forget for Sunderland in a 4-2 defeat to Southampton, despite showing signs of an unlikely comeback.

At half-time, the Black Cats looked dead and buried with Stuart Armstrong and Adam Armstrong giving the Saints a deserved lead.

Mike Dodds’ side showed good character to draw level midway through the second-half, Romaine Mundle’s first goal for the club handed the Black Cats a lifeline before Jobe Bellingham produced a moment of magic to level the scores.

READ MORE: Southampton 4-2 Sunderland: Unlikely fightback goes to waste

But it was the Saints who regained their composure and turned the screw with a Joe Rothwell double wrapping up all three points.

Here's a look at the key talking points from Sunderland's defeat at St. Mary's Stadium.

 

Another 'bold' approach from Mike Dodds and changes almost make the difference

The Sunderland interim head coach promised to be bold during his tenure in charge - and that he has been. 

Dodds made three changes from the defeat to Leicester City on Tuesday night, one of those enforced following Luke O'Nien's suspension and tenth yellow card of the season.

Abdoullah Ba, Romaine Mundle and Mason Burstow coming in for Pierre Ekwah, Luis Hemir Semedo and the aforementioned centre-half. Sunderland shifted away from the variation of a back three we saw against the Foxes, moving to the 4-2-3-1 we've seen repeatedly this season.

What looked like a more solid structure on paper, transpired into something very different as the opening whistle blew.

"I want to try and win every single game,” Dodds previously said. “Sometimes that will work, sometimes that won't work." 

Today was another day when it didn’t work.

In the first-half, the Black Cats were all over the place and it wasn’t until the introduction of Adil Aouchiche and Nazariy Rusyn that they looked like threatening at the other end. At two goals down, Dodds had no other choice but to roll the dice and they looked to have rescued a point.

Perhaps through their naivety, they allowed what would have been a good point given the half-time picture, to slip through their grasp as they pushed for a winner.

Joe Rothwell’s late double broke travelling hearts, but it was probably a fair result on the balance of the tie.

Southampton’s dynamic movement in possession

Saints boss Russell Martin is building up quite the reputation for creating sides that are pleasing on the eye. This Southampton side were no different and turned in a dominant first-half display.

Centre-half Dale Stephens roamed around the pitch, drifting into midfield areas, with Taylor Harwood-Bellis shifting infield and opening up space for the hosts. Sunderland did their best to track the forward runners but too often they were cut open at ease.

The front three of Che Adams, Adam Armstong and David Brooks moved across the front line with Stuart Armstrong driving on from midfield. The Black Cats were left chasing shadows inside the first-half. The 2-0 lead at the break probably kind to the Wearsiders.

Martin’s side picked up where they left off in the first and had it not been for some last ditch defending, they could have been out of sight.

Their second-half collapse gifted Sunderland a way back into the game, but like they’ve shown in recent weeks, their attacking prowess means they can outscore teams. A trait the Black Cats were once able to boast, they now watch on with envy.

Southampton’s penalty fortune?

Sunderland protested the awarding of the second goal at St. Mary’s and not because of the decision to award the hosts a spot kick. Not that it would have mattered in the grand scheme of things.

Youngster Chris Rigg had no arguments when bringing down Ryan Manning inside the area. Former Newcastle United trainee Adam Armstrong stepping up to rub salt in the wounds.

His spot kick blasted beyond Anthony Patterson from 12-yards out, but Sunderland players remonstrated with the officials, claiming he’d touched the ball twice, slipping on his run up to the spot.

Without seeing an immediate replay, it was difficult to call but the size of the appeals suggests they had a case.

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The winless run continues

For all Dodds has been dealt a tough hand in losing key players to injury, that’s now six defeats on the bounce, four on his watch.

The first-half was arguably the worst since his appointment. Southampton outclassed Sunderland from the off in yet another reminder of just how far they off from realistically challenging for the top-six.

Any positivity from the defeat to Leicester quickly disappeared after the Saints’ opener. The travelling red and white army a credit to themselves as they tried to get their side back into the game.

To give the Black Cats their due, they showed good character to level the game at 2-2 but their naivety in going for the win, ultimately their undoing. They must now capitalise on a ‘kinder’ run of fixtures or they face a twitchy end to the season looking over their shoulder.