Burnley
Blackburn Rovers
Coventry City
Derby County
Leeds United
Luton Town
Middlesbrough
Millwall
Norwich City
Portsmouth
Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield United
QPR
Sunderland got off to a bad start at Wembley this afternoon against Sheffield United, but before the ball even went in the back of the net, the game was over for Luke O’Nien.
A very nervous Sunderland side were shaken immediately after kick-off by Sheffield United, who came into the game with impressive energy and aggression.
Within the first minute, Gustavo Hamer sent the ball floating into the box and Kieffer Moore rose highest to head the ball at goal.
Anthony Patterson made an unbelievable save to keep his team in it, but it was a bittersweet moment for the Black Cats with their stalwart, Luke O’Nien, suffering an injury during the run of play.
The 30-year-old had to leave the field, with Chris Mepham taking his place, and now we can reveal what actually happened to O’Nien in the Championship play-off final.
What was said about Luke O’Nien’s injury
After seeing O’Nien taking on oxygen on the pitch and then being taken off the pitch, it was still unclear exactly why the Sunderland man was in so much pain.
Consulting Jonathan Oakes on the sidelines as part of the Sky Sports coverage, it was revealed: “It’s a dislocated shoulder for Luke O’Nien, picked up by trying to stop Kieffer Moore score that header.
“Luke’s wife is with him in the changing room where medical staff have been able to put his shoulder back in.”
Afterwards, co-commentator Don Goodman insisted Moore did nothing wrong, and that both players were merely challenging for the header as they should do.
Sadly, it’s just a cruel twist of fate for such an important player and figurehead in the Sunderland side who would have been desperate to help his team go all the way at Wembley on the day.
Luke O’Nien has Wembley experience that Sunderland sorely needed
The game hasn’t gone much better for Sunderland since O’Nien left the field, with Gus Hamer again showing his creative flair to set up Tyrese Campbell for a brilliant opening goal in the 25th minute.
O’Nien was later seen among the Sunderland substitutes on the bench with a smile on his face just before half-time, which is great to see.
But, with a massive 264 appearances for the Black Cats (before today) under his belt, and as the only player remaining after Sunderland’s League One play-off win back in 2022, you have to feel O’Nien could have been valuable today.
Without him, Sunderland lack that level-headedness, maturity, and resoluteness that Chris Wilder’s men have in abundance.