Championship roundup: Sheffield United continue their streak as top four all win.
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Not that defeating mid-table Norwich, who had José Córdoba sent off seconds before Bellingham’s goal, was easy in an always tense encounter marked by 10 yellow cards and a slew of on-pitch feuds.

During the game, Sunderland manager Régis Le Bris and Norwich forward Borja Sainz clashed on the touchline, and visiting goalkeeper Angus Gunn clashed with his own defender Shane Duffy over a free kick.

“It was quite a crazy afternoon and a difficult challenge but I like the character of my team,” Le Bris told the crowd. “It was a strange game; at certain times we had periods of lucidity and then we made mistakes.”

Le Bris’ family had traveled in from France to spend the holiday season in north-east England, giving his son and daughter the opportunity to see a live match at the Stadium of Light for the first time.

Sunderland has yet to lost a second-tier match here this season, and before kick-off, Bellingham discussed “building a fortress on Wearside”.

Norwich originally threatened to demolish the citadel as a savagely unpredictable wind blew plastic fragments all over the ground. They haven’t won in four games, but they started well, usually appearing like the superior team.

Sunderland struggled to respond to a well-executed corner routine, culminating in Anis Ben Slimane’s close-range strike after Anthony Patterson’s excellent saves.

Sunderland won 3-2 against Swansea a week ago after going behind by two goals. With the contest 21 minutes old, there was plenty of opportunity for a similar comeback.

Two minutes into the second half, Norwich failed to clear Luke O’Nien’s free-kick, allowing Eliezer Mayenda to drive a lofted ball into the area for Dan Ballard to head past Gunn.

Sunderland looked practically a different team than in the first half, but they were almost undone when Ante Crnac sent a shot skidding barely wide at the conclusion of a Norwich onslaught.