SUNDERLAND slipped to the foot of the Premier League table with another away day horror show, losing 2-0 at newly-promoted Bournemouth.

Callum Wilson and Matt Ritchie fired Eddie Howe’s Cherries into a lead from which Sunderland – who had Younes Kaboul sent off – never recovered.

Newcastle’s 2-1 defeat at home to Watford saw the Magpies move above their North-East rivals on goal difference, with Sunderland failing to pick up a win in their first six games for the third season running.

With John O’Shea missing out through illness, Sunderland reverted to the back four that started the season with consecutive defeats.

In the first game of the season, the Black Cats were two down after 18 minutes at Leicester. At Dean Court, they racked up the same tally in half the time, with Wilson and Ritchie putting the hosts two up in nine minutes.

While they had steadied the ship with O’Shea in the side, losing the Republic of Ireland international in the run-up to the game proved to be a destabilising factor, with Kaboul and Sebastian Coates struggling to deal with Wilson’s pace and Bournemouth’s constant attacking.

Kaboul in particular looked most uncomfortable with the Cherries striker, allowing him to turn far too easily following Dan Gosling’s pass before drilling a low shot past Costel Pantilimon on four minutes.

Bournemouth doubled their lead five minutes later when Simon Francis’ corner was headed into the path of Ritchie, who chested and volleyed into the top corner.

Sunderland looked shell-shocked and only mustered their first effort at goal on 39 minutes when Jermain Defoe – who spent 2000-1 on loan at Dean Court from West Ham – broke clear of the Cherries backline and scuffed a shot at Artur Boruc’s legs.

Defoe, again playing through the middle with Jeremain Lens and Fabio Borini either side, headed Yann M’Vila’s crossfield ball wide of Boruc’s post moments later.

Jack Rodwell was introduced at half-time by Dick Advocaat, and the former Manchester City man saw a volley on goal deflected wide. And Sunderland had the ball in the net from the resulting corner, when M’Vila’s cross met Lens to head home – only to see the linesman’s flag raised.

Replays showed that Lens was onside – Defoe was off, but not interfering with play.

Borini volleyed just over the crossbar on the hour mark as Sunderland looked a more cohesive attacking unit after the restart.

But Bournemouth’s pace in the attack caught Sunderland out again, Kaboul – already booked – hauled Wilson down on the edge of the area, and Kevin Friend wasted no time in sending the Frenchman off.

The Cherries sought to make the best of their numerical advantage, and hit the crossbar five minutes from time when Marc Pugh fired goalwards.

Sunderland huffed and puffed but did not look likely to break down Bournemouth following Kaboul’s dismissal, which will see the former Tottenham defender miss the Capital One Cup third round fixture against Manchester City this week.

BOURNEMOUTH (4-4-2): Boruc; Francis, Cook, Distin, Daniels; Ritchie (Smith 89), Surman, Gosling, Pugh; Tomlin (O'Kane 65), Wilson (Murray 76). Subs: Federici, Bennett, Stanislas, Kermorgant.

SUNDERLAND (4-3-3): Pantilimon; Jones, Kaboul, Coates, van Aanholt; M'Vila, Gomez (Rodwell 46), Toivonen; Lens, Defoe (Fletcher 69), Borini (Johnson 72). Subs: Cattermole, Larsson, Yedlin, Mannone.