Sunderland v Brighton & Hove Albion live: score, updates and line-ups

Full time: Sunderland 0-2 Brighton & Hove Albion, and it's a brutal scoreline given how the game unfolded. The hosts dominated possession and territory for long spells, especially after Struijk's 57th-minute red card left Brighton down to ten men following De Cuyper's opener, but Verbruggen and a resolute rearguard held firm against everything Sunderland threw at them. Just when the Black Cats seemed destined to keep pressing for an equaliser, substitute Hadjam broke away in stoppage time to finish off a Rutter assist and make it 2-0 against the run of play. A frustrating afternoon for Sunderland, who edged possession, corners and fouls won but have nothing to show for their endeavour against ten men.

Sickening blow for Sunderland - straight from that Brighton corner, the ten men break with pace and substitute Hadjam slots home from the left of the box, teed up by fellow sub Rutter, to make it 2-0 and surely settle this despite the Black Cats' dominance.

Deep into stoppage time now and Sunderland are still camped in Brighton territory, winning a couple more corners through Le Fée's blocked effort and continued pressure, but Verbruggen's resistance hasn't been broken. Free kicks at either end as the ten men battle to see this out, with Sunderland's extra man still not translating into that elusive leveller.

Sunderland keep knocking but can't find the breakthrough - Mukiele's had efforts blocked twice while Isidor also saw a shot charged down as the hosts pile on the pressure with their extra man. Brighton have offered the occasional sting on the counter through Ayari and Gross, and Vuskovic even had a glimpse from a corner, but it's still Sunderland dominating territory and shots since the last update as they chase an equaliser against the ten men.

Sunderland are pressing with the extra man and edging the possession stakes since Struijk's dismissal, with Fofana forcing a good stop from Verbruggen after good work from Reinildo, and Xhaka also dragging one wide from range. Brighton have made a double change, bringing on Dunk, Costinha and Yalcouyé to shore things up with ten men, and Gomez even had a hopeful long-range effort of his own in between. It's all Sunderland territory now, but Brighton's low block is holding firm at 0-1.

Huge moment - Struijk's foul on Isidor is upgraded to a red card after a VAR review, leaving Brighton down to ten men just four minutes after taking the lead. Sunderland sense their chance and Xhaka tries his luck from distance straight away, but Verbruggen is equal to it.

Brighton break the deadlock - De Cuyper finds space in the box and finishes left-footed into the bottom corner after Gross picks him out. Sunderland now have it all to do after a half-chance for Isidor and a free kick had briefly given them a foothold in the game.

Quiet start to the second half with the stats barely moving since the break - both sides still level on possession and shots have stayed frozen at 6-4 to Brighton. No clear chances to report yet as the teams feel their way back into it, so it remains finely poised at 0-0 after that let-off for Sunderland right on half-time.

Sunderland have had the lion's share of the ball in this spell but it's been a scrappy ten minutes, punctuated by Meunier's injury-enforced withdrawal for Fofana and Boscagli's booking for a foul on Hume. Mukiele tried his luck from long range but Verbruggen gathered it comfortably, while Angulo was flagged offside at the other end - honours about even as we approach half-time.

Sunderland have edged back into this spell, nudging possession above 50% and finally getting a shot away through Isidor, whose effort from the left of the six-yard box was blocked after good work from Le Fée. Brighton still have the sharper numbers overall and Kostoulas tried his luck from distance, but the hosts look a little more composed now and have matched the visitors for corners in this period.

Brighton have grown into this and are now on top, racking up three more attempts since the last update while Sunderland have yet to register a shot. Vuskovic headed wide from a corner and Ayari dragged one off target, and Mukiele's twice been caught offside as the hosts search for a route through. Xhaka's industry aside, Sunderland need to find a foothold in midfield.

A fairly even opening with Sunderland shading possession, but Brighton have had the better of the chances. Diego Gómez forced Robin Roefs into a smart save from the edge of the box, and the visitors have won a couple of corners as they press for an opener. Isidor's early offside aside, Sunderland are yet to really test Verbruggen.