Sheffield United edged to a 1-0 win over promotion rivals Sunderland to move top of the Championship table following a late goal from substitute Tom Davies.

Patrick Roberts missed a Sunderland penalty while both teams had a player sent off in the closing stages of the first half, with Sunderland’s Chris Mepham followed by United defender Harry Souttar.

Following a quiet opening to the game, Sunderland enjoyed a good spell which saw them spurn chances to open the scoring.

Jobe Bellingham saw his shot blocked and the rebound fell to Tom Watson, who fired off target.

They were then awarded a penalty when Watson’s surging run through the centre of the defence was cut short by a foul from Jack Robinson. Roberts stepped up but his effort was kept out by Michael Cooper, who got down low to his left to make the save.

Watson, who was proving to be a threat down the left, then shot wide from inside the area.

Sunderland were reduced to 10 men five minutes before the break when Mepham was ruled to have denied Tyrese Campbell a goalscoring opportunity, fouling the striker on the edge of the penalty area.

The numbers were level again in time added on at the end of the half when Souttar was shown a second yellow card after needlessly hauling over Wilson Isidor.

United manager Chris Wilder made a change at the start of the second half with Femi Seriki sent on in place of Callum O’Hare. Seriki was soon involved, setting up Alfie Gilchrist for a shot which was deflected wide.

Cooper was called into action at the other end, saving a low shot from Isidor.

A free-kick awarded to the home side was taken by Harrison Burrows, who put his effort wide of Anthony Patterson’s right-hand post.

Vinicius Souza put a well-struck drive straight at Patterson and then the keeper was called into action to save from Seriki at his near post.

With just under 15 minutes remaining, both teams made a double substitution. United sent on Davies and Ryan One in place of Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and Campbell while the visitors replaced Roberts and Watson with Eliezer Mayenda and Aji Alese.

After Sydie Peck put an effort over, he was involved in the only goal of the game in the 83rd minute, with the ball falling to Davies on the right-hand side of the area and the midfielder’s low shot beating Patterson’s despairing dive.