NEW year, a new attacking formation, and a new lease of life for Sunderland’s promotion push. One day into 2025, and it’s been a good start for the Black Cats.

Regis Le Bris’ decision to tinker with his attacking line-up paid dividends as his side saw off promotion rivals Sheffield United, with Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda both benefiting from playing alongside each other rather than being split with one of the pair on the flank.

Mayenda certainly looked much more comfortable back in a central role rather than being stationed on the left, opening the scoring with a composed finish after breaking through the middle and setting up Sunderland’s second goal with a slick pass.

Isidor converted that second strike, slotting a clinical strike into the far corner, and having lost out narrowly at Bramall Lane just over a month ago, the Black Cats were able to celebrate a successful revenge mission that lifted them to within two points of both their opponents, who remain in third position, and second-placed Burnley.

Anthony Patterson played a key role in last night’s success, saving a penalty from Kieffer Moore when the game was still goalless, and while a first-half own goal from Luke O’Nien briefly saw the Blades restore parity, Sunderland’s new-found fluency meant they looked capable of adding to their lead throughout much of the second half.

Yes, there is still a need to add further attacking firepower now the transfer window has reopened. But having shown they can play together successfully, perhaps Isidor and Mayenda will spend more time alongside each other as an attacking duo in the remainder of the campaign.

They posed a twin threat throughout last night’s game, with Blades goalkeeper Michael Cooper keeping out near-post efforts from each of the duo inside the opening ten minutes.

That was a sign of things to come in terms of Sunderland’s attacking threat, although the game might well have been different had Sheffield United taken the golden opportunity that was handed to them just before the quarter-hour mark.

The Sunderland defence failed to deal with a free-kick from the right-hand side, and just as Moore was about to shoot from the edge of the six-yard box, he was pulled back by O’Nien.

Referee Matthew Donohue pointed to the spot, but Moore’s penalty was a poor one. The Wales international tried to go straight down the middle, but his effort lacked power and  Patterson was able to keep the ball out with his trailing leg. Since stepping into the senior ranks three years ago, Patterson has assembled a decent record of keeping out opposition spot-kicks.

He almost got himself into trouble dealing with a back-pass midway through the first half, with Rhian Brewster almost nicking the ball off him on his own goalline, but by that stage, Sunderland were posing problems of their own at the other end again.

Isidor headed wide after Trai Hume drove in a cross from the right, before a dreadful error from Sheffield United centre-half Jack Robinson enabled the Black Cats to claim the lead.

Robinson had plenty of time to deal with Chris Mepham’s long ball forward, but his attempted clearance merely resulted in the ball skewing towards his own goal. Mayenda was left with a clear run through, and unlike on Sunday, when he spurned a similarly good chance at Stoke City, this time the Spaniard was much more composed, slotting a slick finish past Cooper.

Adil Aouchiche, who was stationed on the left-hand side with Mayenda playing through the middle, dragged a decent chance wide three minutes after the deadlock was broken, but Sheffield United levelled with a goal somewhat out of nothing shortly after the half-hour mark.

The Sunderland defence could only clear Brewster’s cross to Gustavo Hamer, who was loitering on the right of the box, and when the Dutchman fired the ball back across the face of goal, a diving O’Nien headed the ball into his own net.

How would the home side respond to losing their lead? Three minutes later, and they were back in front.

The recalled Patrick Roberts won possession on the right, enabling Mayenda to send Isidor scampering into the left of the box. The striker produced a blistering turn of pace to burst on the outside of Anel Ahmedhodzic, before slotting a clinical finish across Cooper and into the far corner. It was Isidor’s second goal in the space of three games, after his Boxing Day strike at Blackburn ended a run of seven successive matches without finding the net.

The game was much more free-flowing than November’s meeting of the two sides at Bramall Lane, which ended with both teams playing with ten men, and if anything, the action became even more stretched in the second half.

Blades full-back Sam McCallum flashed a deflected shot into the side-netting after cutting in from the left-hand side, and when the Sunderland midfield was guilty of over-playing shortly after the hour mark, with Jobe Bellingham and Dan Neil both giving the ball away, Brewster spurned an excellent opportunity by firing well wide.

Mayenda was denied at the other end by an excellent sliding challenge from Ahmedhodzic which prevented him from pulling the trigger as he broke into the box, before Bellingham wasted an excellent opportunity to secure some breathing space.

Mayenda touched the ball into Bellingham’s path after good work from Mayenda on the left, but the teenager blazed over from just inside the 18-yard box.

Andre Brooks had the best late chance for Sheffield United, but Patterson made a smart save from the substitute’s shot.