Ex-Man Utd and Chelsea men scout Sunderland and Leicester, a bizarre pre-match dispute plus penalty question

Sunderland became the latest team to fall short against Championship leaders - and there were plenty of talking points following the Black Cats’ 1-0 defeat at the King Power Stadium.

The Foxes have won 12 of their first 13 league fixtures this season and extended their lead at the top of the table to eight points - ahead of Ipswich’s game at Bristol City on Wednesday - with full-back James Justin heading home directly from a corner in the 12th minute.

Yet Sunderland could easily have taken something from this fixture, and should have been awarded a penalty on the stroke of half-time when Dan Neil was brought down by defender Wout Faes.

Here are some of the other moments you may have missed:

A pre-match dispute

A dispute was caused before the match when two of Leicester’s groundsmen started stabbing the field with their pitchforks right in front of the goal where Sunderland’s goalkeepers were warming up.

Black Cats keepers Anothony Patterson and Nathan Bishop both let their feelings known, while goalkeeping coach Alessandro Barcherini and first-team coach Michael Proctor also voiced their complaints.

Tributes for Bobby Charlton and Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha

Before the match tributes were paid to Manchester United legend and England World Cup winner Bobby Charlton, who died at the age of 86 on Saturday.

Leicester also marked the five-year anniversary of the death of their former owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who was killed along with four other people in a helicopter crash, with a round of applause before kick-off.

Full-backs switch positions

In recent matches Sunderland’s full-backs have switched positions, with Trai Hume moving to left-back and Niall Huggins moving to the right side of defence.

Yet against Leicester Hume was back in his natural right-back position when his side didn’t have the ball. Mowbray explained following Sunderland’s win over Watford the aforementioned change, putting Hume on the left, was because the Northern Irishman often steps into midfield, which allowed Jobe Bellingham to push forward when Pierre Ekwah wasn’t in the side.

Trai Hume’s penalty question

Few Sunderland players appealed to referee Keith Stroud after Neil was brought down by Faes, yet that was hardly surprising considering the Sunderland midfielder was sent off for dissent against Middlesbrough earlier this month. At half-time Hume asked the fourth official, ‘How’s that not a penalty there? He didn’t touch the ball.’

Wayne Rooney’s coaching staff in attendance

Among the crowd of 30,951 at the King Power Stadium was former Sunderland and Manchester United defender John O’Shea and former Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole.

The pair were recently appointed as part of Wayne Rooney’s backroom staff at Birmingham, who weren’t in action until Wednesday. Sunderland will face The Blues at the Stadium of Light next month, after games against Norwich and Swansea.

A lack of added time

Mowbray was once again frustrated at the lack of stoppage-time that was added on at the end of the match. A total of five additional minutes were shown, even though both sides had made four substitutions, while there was a lengthy stoppage when Justin was forced off with a head injury. Sunderland also made a late change as Hemir was brought on in the 94th minute, yet the full-time whistle soon went.