Paolo Di Canio's debut match as Sunderland boss ended in defeat as Chelsea returned to the top four of the Premier League with a third successive win at Stamford Bridge today.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has told new signing Daniel Sturridge his £12m move to Anfield represents his last chance to succeed at a big club.

Brendan Rodgers has maintained that as long as there is hope he will be able to keep hold of his top Liverpool players and that feeling was not in short supply at Anfield last night.

Liverpool 3 Sunderland 0

Sunderland 1 Tottenham 2

Sunderland 1 Tottenham 2

It’s the season for giving and with the Premier League season at its halfway point, Darren Norris hands out the mid-term honours.

MK Dons 0 Sunderland 2

Sunderland defender Wes Brown was today heading back to Wearside fearing yet another lengthy injury lay-off.

Sunderland 2 Bolton 2

Loan signings Wayne Bridge and Sotirios Kyrgiakos return to the Sunderland squad for tomorrow’s Premier League clash with Arsenal.

Sunderland boss Martin O’Neill will be without loan signings Wayne Bridge and Sotirios Kyrgiakos for tomorrow night’s FA Cup fourth round replay at Middlesbrough.

Sunderland boss Martin O’Neill will be without defender Wes Brown and midfielder David Vaughan for tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League trip to Stoke as the pair face up to weeks on the sidelines.

IRISH midfielder James McClean enhanced his growing reputation last night, scoring his first goal for Sunderland as the Black Cats hammered Wigan 4-1 to ensure Martin O’Neill’s golden start to life back in the Premier League continued.

Wigan 1 Sunderland 4

AS belated birthday presents go, it wasn’t too shoddy. Just when Alex Ferguson might have been forgiven for thinking that turning 70 wasn’t worth the bother, there was Martin O’Neill, bearing gifts.

Sunderland 1 Manchester City 0

SUNDERLAND boss Martin O’Neill will head into battle with his Manchester City counterpart Roberto Mancini insisting he is not jealous of the Italian’s mammoth spending power.

Sunderland defender Matt Kilgallon has joined Middlesbrough on a season-loan loan.

Sunderland 0 Stoke 0

Bolton boss Owen Coyle admits he is still a big admirer of Arsenal youngster Jack Wilshere.

MIDDLESBROUGH’s bid to make an instant return to the Premier League got off to an inauspicious start as they were held to a goalless draw by Sheffield United in the opening game of the new season.

BURNLEY boss Owen Coyle looked forward to the “great adventure” after masterminding his team’s promotion to the Premier League.

Burnley 1 Sheffield United 0

BURNLEY took advantage of Reading’s weekend off — Steve Coppell’s side face Coventry tonight — to move up to fourth place with a 3-0 win over Derby County on Saturday.

THIS might have been the most dramatic game on the most dramatic day of the most dramatic Championship season in living memory, but Nigel Pearson showed no sign of being perturbed.

MIDDLESBROUGH are in the draw for last eight of the FA Cup but that is as good as it gets for the Premier League side.

Sheffield United 0 Middlesbrough 0

Sheffield United 1 Wigan 2

Sheffield United centre-back Chris Morgan should start his first match since January 1 as replacement for Chris Lucketti (foot) in tomorrow’s Barclays Premiership clash with Everton.

Danny Webber, Luton Shelton and Chris Morgan are all doubts ahead of Sheffield United’s Barclays Premiership game with Liverpool at Anfield tomorrow.

Sheffield United defender Rob Kozluk faces a late fitness test ahead of tomorrow’s Barclays Premiership visit of Tottenham.

Sheffield United captain Chris Morgan returns from a four-match ban for tomorrow’s Barclays Premiership match with Blackburn at Ewood Park.

Leeds have completed the loan signing of Middlesbrough defender Ugo Ehiogu.

Goals in each half from Brian Stock and Brett Ormerod earned Preston a victory over Leeds that takes North End into the play-offs on the back of an eight-game unbeaten run.