Hot cats step up pressure

Sunderland stepped up the pressure on leaders Norwich City and West Brom in the chase for an automatic promotion place to the Premiership with this emphatic 3-0 defeat of Division One rivals Sheffield United.

Tommy Smith banged in his eighth goal of the season after just seven minutes then Gary Breen increased the Black Cats’ lead midway through the second half. Substitute Kevin Kyle completed the scoring in injury time with his 13th goal of the campaign.