Marco Gabbiadini says ‘lucky’ Sunderland man’should’ve been sent off’ against Norwich over 39th-minute incident.

Sunderland’s 2-1 victory over Norwich City at the Stadium of Light was a heated affair, marked by referee Leigh Doughty issuing 10 yellow cards and a red in a hard-fought contest.

While the Black Cats celebrated back-to-back wins, former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini believes the match could have taken a different turn had Luke O’Nien been sent off for an incident in the 39th minute.

Gabbiadini’s Take on the O’Nien-Sainz Incident

O’Nien was booked during the first half after appearing to raise his arm into the face of Norwich’s Borja Sainz, who went down dramatically. Speaking on Total Sport, Gabbiadini expressed his belief that the incident warranted a red card:

“I thought Luke O’Nien should’ve been sent off before half-time. I thought he put his arm straight in the face of Sainz… he was just causing trouble all over the place. I thought Luke O’Nien was very lucky not to get penalised for that, so we got away with one maybe.”

O’Nien has been disciplined just three times this season, with no red cards since the 2022/23 campaign, but this contentious moment drew significant attention.

O’Nien’s Versatility and Future Role

Despite the controversy, O’Nien has proven his value as a versatile defender for Sunderland. Against Norwich, he started at right-back due to Trai Hume’s late illness, though he may switch to left-back for the Boxing Day clash against Blackburn Rovers. Dennis Cirkin, who featured at left-back against Norwich, has struggled to regain form following wrist surgery, potentially opening the door for O’Nien to step in.

Sunderland’s Tough Road Ahead

Manager Regis Le Bris will hope for a cleaner game against Blackburn Rovers, a team in fine form. The Black Cats will need to stay disciplined and composed to secure a result in what promises to be another challenging fixture.

While O’Nien’s incident will remain a talking point, Sunderland fans will focus on maintaining their team’s position in the Championship’s top four as the season heats up.

In other news, Thorup Highlights Concerns Amid Norwich’s Struggles in the Championship