SUNDERLAND'S attempts to overturn Gary Breen's red-card at Bramall Lane looked doomed to failure last night as the club searched in vain for TV footage of the incident.

The only camera crew at the ground missed the seemingly innocuous clash between the Sunderland skipper and Sheffield United's Andy Gray that resulted in referee Mike Dean showing both players the red card.

The decision bewildered the players and their managers, with Mick McCarthy and Blades' boss Neil Warnock both confirming they would appeal against the dismissals.

But the likelihood is that without video evidence of the incident, the Football Association will back the officials - Dean's assistant bringing the first-half clash to the Wirral referee's attention.

With a noon deadline today for evidence to be received by the FA appeals committee, it appears an automatic three-game ban for the Sunderland captain will be the most likely outcome with both clubs unable to provide any video of the incident.

If a decision is made by tomorrow night the ban will start aginst Derby on Saturday, otherwise the centre-back will miss games against Millwall, Watford and Rotherham.

Fellow centre-back Steve Caldwell was none too impressed with the sendings-off - nor with the assistant's role in it.

"I didn't really see the incident but it just seemed like a bit of handbags - it was nothing really. Everyone knows Gary Breen is not a dirty player.

"I was as surprised as anyone when the referee gave them both red cards.

"I am not one for assistants giving those sorts of decisions from that far away. They should stick to their jobs. Give them a flag and they think they can referee."

Caldwell knows what a miss the Republic of Ireland centre-back will be and the ban could not have come at a worse time, with the duo forming a solid base in a defence which had only been breached once in the four games before Tuesday night's 1-0 defeat to Sheffield United.

* Michael Bridges is unlikely to figure in the manager's first-team plans before the game against Millwall on October 16 after damaging his thigh in training.

The striker, who just signed from Bolton last week, was missing from the squad who travelled to Bramall Lane and was also pulled out of the reserves 3-2 defeat at Manchester City last night.

Sunderland included the unsettled duo of Sean Thornton and John Oster, watched by West Ham scouts, in their side.

City's lively striker Bradley Wright-Phillips, brother of England international Shaun, gave them a two-goal lead before Richie Ryan reduced the arrears.

Carl Bermingham restored City's two-goal advantage, but Sunderland came back with Neil Teggart penalty. Defeat for Sunderland leaves them still searching for their first win of the season.

Sunderland: Alnwick, Dickman, Taylor, Leadbitter (Kingsberry 90), Clark, Christensen, Oster, Thornton, Teggart, Johnson, Ryan. Subs (not out): Ingham gk, Wanless, Clarkson.

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