SUNDERLAND’S unbeaten start to the season came crashing to an end as they suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Leeds United.

Simon Grayson was a boyhood Leeds fan, and managed the Elland Road club for four years, but his former side did not do him any favours as they condemned the Black Cats to the first defeat of the campaign.

Things might have been different had Lewis Grabban’s shot not deflected against the crossbar in the first half, but as it was, Sunderland fell behind within a minute of the opportunity as Samuel Saiz slotted home a low finish.

The Black Cats rarely looked like breaking down a disciplined Leeds defence, and the visitors, who remain unbeaten, doubled their lead with 14 minutes left as Stuart Dallas headed home Saiz’s cross.

While Leeds boss Thomas Christiansen was deprived of Chris Wood after the Elland Road hierarchy accepted Burnley’s £15m bid for the striker earlier in the day, Grayson was able to name the same starting XI for the fourth game in succession.

Sunderland started strongly at both Norwich and Sheffield Wednesday earlier in the week, and the hosts were quickly into their stride once again as they began on the front foot.

Grabban narrowly failed to connect with Brendan Galloway’s low cross in the sixth minute, and after former Newcastle full-back Vurnon Anita misplaced a pass moments later, James Vaughan’s powerful shot was blocked by Pontus Jansson.

Grabban and Vaughan were linking effectively once again, and the former came within inches of opening the scoring midway through the first half.

A slick one-two between the two strikers sent Grabban galloping into the penalty area, but while he turned inside Anita, his shot was glanced onto the crossbar by the head of Leeds’ Liam Cooper, who had dropped back to cover on the goalline. It was a crucial moment, as within less than 60 seconds, Leeds were celebrating the lead.

The left-hand side of Sunderland’s defence was exposed throughout the first half, with Galloway suffering a torrid time against Ezgjan Alioski.

Lamine Kone fared little better, and when the Sunderland centre-half failed to cut out a 21st-minute through ball, Alioski was able to break clear down the right. The summer signing from Swiss club Lugano cut the ball back into the area, and Saiz dispatched a crisp low finish into the bottom left-hand corner.

Alioski tormented Galloway for much of the afternoon, and Grayson was forced to switch George Honeyman to the left-hand side in an attempt to provide the full-back with some protection.

The switch had little effect, and after Saiz broke down the right to cross for Pablo Hernandez to head over the crossbar, Alioski found himself clear once again as he broke behind Galloway. The Macedonian advanced to the edge of the area, but dragged a wasteful shot wide of the target.

The first half ended with Lee Cattermole firing in a 25-yard effort that was saved by Felix Wiedwald close to his right-hand post, but Grayson was clearly unhappy with his side’s performance and opted to change formation at the interval.

Sunderland started the second half playing in a 4-3-3 formation, with Grabban and Aiden McGeady playing on either side of Vaughan, and Grayson made personnel changes within the opening ten minutes of the second period, bringing on Adam Matthews and Wahbi Khazri for Galloway and Vaughan.

The Black Cats tightened up at the back in the second half, although Jason Steele had to get down smartly to keep out Alioski’s fiercely-driven free-kick, but they struggled to break down a well-drilled Leeds defence.

McGeady’s crossing was not up to its usual standard, and Leeds centre-half Pontus Jansson successfully dealt with the vast majority of balls thrown into the area.

Sunderland never really looked like hauling themselves level, and the game was effectively put to bed when Leeds doubled their lead with 14 minutes left.

Saiz stood up an inviting cross from the right-hand side, and having peeled off his marker, substitute Dallas planted a powerful back-post header into the net.

Sunderland’s day was summed up in the final minute, with Billy Jones shooting into the side netting after he struggled to sort out his feet as he ran on to McGeady’s cross.

Sunderland (4-4-2): Steele; Jones, Browning, Kone, Galloway (Matthews 55); Honeyman, Cattermole (Asoro 74), Ndong, McGeady; Vaughan (Khazri 55), Grabban.

Subs (not used): Ruiter (gk), O’Shea, Gibson, Gooch.

Leeds (4-2-3-1): Wiedwald; Ayling, Cooper, Jansson, Anita; O’Kane, Phillips; Alioski, Saiz (Klich 80), Hernandez (Roofe 24); Ekuban (Dallas 62).

Subs (not used): Green (gk), Borthwick-Jackson, Vieira, Shaughnessy.