Sunderland 1 Portsmouth 0: Neil Allen's verdict - Positivity in defeat as a potential new Blues hero is born

Although they can perhaps be reassured that in Rob Atkinson they may have finally resolved one of their most problematic positions this term.

Atkinson’s arrival on Friday handed John Mousinho crucial Championship experience and undoubted quality in a position dogged by injury and misfortune this season.

A timely recruit considering he was called off the bench in the 67th minute at Sunderland following Marlon Pack’s indiscretion at 1-0 down.

Pack, on the occasion of his 100th Pompey outing, made a mistake as last man while high up the pitch, prompting him to haul down Eliezer Mayenda to prevent him racing down on goal. He was rightly dismissed.

Cue loanee Atkinson’s entrance for a maiden first-team appearance in almost two years following an injury-dogged recent history at Bristol City.

It threw up the unusual sight of two left-footed central defenders, albeit with the 26-year-old positioned on the right alongside Ryley Towler.

The pair will need to be matched at least once more, with Pack now facing a one-match ban, Tom McIntyre out of the frame presently, and Conor Shaughnessy and Regan Poole still not yet back from injury.

Regardless, Atkinson effortlessly slotted into the defence and helped them 10-men avoid conceding again to the promotion-chasing side, which deserves credit.

Aside from a couple of towering clearing headers and one brilliant block, the former Eastleigh man also produced a superb challenge on Eliezer Mayenda late on when the attacker faced up to him inside the box.

Pompey had fallen behind after seven minutes to Wilson Isidor’s goal after the visitors had lost possession from a throw-in level with the opposition’s penalty area.

Yet, unlike other away matches this season, John Mousinho’s men demonstrated a welcome doggedness and determination to ensure they didn’t capitulate.

Indeed, the Black Cats fans were the more nervous at the end as the 10-men had a couple of fleeting openings, while the hosts failed to finish them off.

Irrespective of another defeat on the road, however, Pompey can be heartened from a display in a match they never truly tested Anthony Patterson, although pleasingly showed the required fight and heart.

The Blues’ head coach had stuck to the same team which produced an impressive 4-0 victory over Swansea on New Year’s Day.

That consisted of Ryley Towler and Marlon Pack remaining as the centre-half pairing, despite the arrival of Atkinson just 48 hours earlier.

Instead, Atkinson unsurprisingly replaced Sammy Silvera among the substitutes in the only change to the 20-man squad.

Silvera is in the process of returning to Middlesbrough, with his scheduled season-long loan set to be cut at the halfway point, opening up another loan slot.

Meanwhile, there were still no injury returns for Jacob Farrell, Regan Poole, Conor Shaughnessy, Mark O’Mahony and Kusini Yengi.

Considering recent heavy away defeats, the Blues could have done without conceding early, yet that is exactly what happened after seven minutes.

Connor Ogilvie took a throw-in deep inside Sunderland’s half which found Callum Lang, however the attacker’s lay-off was well short - and the hosts broke away at pace.

With Pompey frantically backpeddling - and Ogilvie out of the equation defensively - Eliezer Mayenda carved a route down the middle, before cleverly slotting in Isidor, who beat the offside trap.

The Frenchman then calmly placed a first-time shot past the exposed Nicolas Schmid and into the far corner of the net to make it 1-0.

The Blues had another scare in the 18th minute when Patrick Roberts hooked in a shot at the far post, but Ryley Towler was on hand to clear near the goal line.

At the other end, Josh Murphy broke into the box and attempted to lift the ball over the keeper from the angle, but it was comfortably caught by Anthony Patterson.

Schmid had to pull off a flying save in the 32nd minute to deny Adil Aouchiche, after cutting inside from the left and letting one fly from just inside the box.

However, the Blues should have levelled moments later when a wonderful long pass from Pack picked out Murphy racing through the middle.

The winger elected to square the ball, but into a space Colby Bishop had not yet reached, allowing the hosts to comfortably clear what had threatened to be a dangerous situation.

Then, on 39 minutes, Bishop’s flick was collected by the lively Murphy, who drove into the box before firing a right-footed shot narrowly over the bar.

Still, despite Isidor having another goal ruled out for offside, the Blues headed in at the break without any further damage, with the scoreline 1-0.

Mousinho’s men were uncharged after the break and, four minutes in, Bishop had a glorious chance when he headed Lang’s right-wing cross well wide from a promising position.

The home support were growing a little anxious with the lead still so slender, although Pompey were struggling to trouble Patterson at the other end.

However, they were presented with a helping hand on 67 minutes when Pack was rightly given his marching orders.

The makeshift centre-half should have cleared the ball from just outside the centre circle, but instead let the ball run across him, allowing Isidor to nip in.

As the attacker galloped away, Pack pulled him down and had to go as the final man, despite some distance for the Sunderland man still to travel.

Mousinho immediately brought on Atkinson and Terry Devlin for Lane and Swanson, with Atkinson given the right centre-half role.

The loanee’s first involvement was throwing himself into Mayenda’s goal-bound shot for a crucial block right in front of Schmid.

And try as they might, Sunderland could find no further way through against the 10-men in a victory their fans cheered - and a defeat which the Pompey faithful can also glean positives from.