Sunderland fans are convinced two players have beef after jarring thing they saw vs Manchester City

Sunderland Fans Vent Fury at O’Nien and Hume After Reckless Red and Shambolic Showing Against Man City

Sunderland’s 3-0 Premier League defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium yesterday has sparked a backlash from furious Black Cats fans, with defender Luke O’Nien and full-back Trai Hume bearing the brunt of the criticism for what many described as unprofessional displays. The loss, which saw Sunderland slip to seventh in the table, exposed frailties against a resurgent City side, but it was the late-game antics and defensive lapses that truly ignited supporter outrage.

The match on December 6 unfolded as a tale of two halves. Sunderland, under Régis Le Bris, started compactly, frustrating City’s attack in the opening exchanges. However, Ruben Dias broke the deadlock in the 31st minute with a stunning 25-yard strike, followed swiftly by Josko Gvardiol’s header from Phil Foden’s corner four minutes later. After the break, Rayan Cherki’s audacious rabona assist set up Foden for the third in the 65th minute, sealing a comfortable win for Pep Guardiola’s men, who closed the gap to Arsenal at the top to two points.

While the scoreline reflected City’s dominance—boasting 72% possession and 18 shots—fans zeroed in on individual errors. O’Nien, introduced as a late substitute in the 88th minute, lasted mere moments before a reckless lunge on Matheus Nunes earned him a straight red card following a VAR review. Deemed “serious foul play” by officials, the incident left Sunderland with 10 men and O’Nien facing a three-match ban. Social media exploded: “#ONienOut” trended among Wearside supporters, with one X post reading, “O’Nien’s brainless challenge sums up our unprofessionalism—endangering opponents and killing any comeback hope.” Another fan forum thread labeled it “petulant and needless,” amassing thousands of views as calls for disciplinary action mounted.

Hume, starting at left-back in place of the injured Reinildo, was equally lambasted for a subpar performance that saw him repeatedly outmaneuvered by City’s wingers. Rated a lowly 5/10 in fan analyses, his positioning errors contributed to the buildup of City’s second goal, and his substitution for O’Nien only amplified the defensive chaos. “Hume looked lost—lazy tracking back and poor decisions all game,” vented a supporter on a Sunderland podcast clip. Pundits echoed the sentiment, noting his 45% duel success rate as “unacceptable against elite opposition.”

Le Bris, in his post-match presser, acknowledged a lack of intensity but defended his squad: “We created chances—like Wilson Isidor’s one-on-one and Granit Xhaka hitting the post—but couldn’t match their level. It’s a learning curve in a positive week with four points from three.” Yet, for fans eyeing the upcoming Tyne-Wear derby against Newcastle, such excuses fell flat. The Red and White Army fan group demanded accountability: “Unprofessional lapses like these erode confidence—O’Nien and Hume must own up.”

As Sunderland regroup without O’Nien, the pressure builds. This defeat, their heaviest of the season, raises questions about squad depth and mentality. Will it spur a bounce-back, or signal deeper issues? The faithful demand answers—and action.