Sunderland’s Elliot Embleton taken to hospital with ‘bad injury’ after red card

Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray said midfielder Elliot Embleton was taken to hospital with what looked “a bad injury” after he was sent off in the 1-1 draw at Hull.

Embleton was shown a red card by referee Gavin Ward in the 59th minute as he was being taken off the pitch on a stretcher, having hurt himself in a challenge on Ryan Woods.

Mowbray said: “He’s gone to hospital, he’s taken an ambulance to hospital and he’s in discomfort.

“I don’t really want to comment on what we think it is, the club doctor thought it was serious enough to go to hospital. It looks like a bad injury.

“I think the referee will be disappointed when he sees it. The ball is bouncing and they both jump, Elliot catches him with his knee and he does flick him with his foot, but it’s an accident.

“It happens fast and maybe the referee sees the player rolling around and holding his head.”

Having been the better side for large periods of the game against the Black Cats, City struggled to find the breakthrough at the MKM Stadium and even missed a penalty through Oscar Estupinan at the start of the second half.

Sunderland’s 74th-minute opener through Ross Stewart came as a real sucker punch to the home side as the striker latched on to a long ball over the top from Patrick Roberts and slotted his finish under Matt Ingram.

However, the Tigers hit back to seal a point as Ozan Tufan hooked home an equaliser with eight minutes remaining.

Mowbray was pleased with what he saw from his side as they held out for a draw despite their numerical disadvantage.

“I thought in the first half we generally controlled the game, I think on the breakaways we looked a threat,” the Sunderland boss added.

“Obviously with 10 men it was very, very difficult, but credit to the team that we came away with a point.

“They’re disappointed in the dressing room, but they shouldn’t be, we were playing against a team on the up and a team with a lot of confidence.”

Hull boss Liam Rosenior described the result as “two points dropped”, despite seeing his side come from behind to salvage a point.

He was, though, proud of how his team responded to adversity and believes they are starting to turn a corner in the battle to climb away from the Championship’s bottom three.

“We speak about not conceding in transition, one straight ball, we switch off and the quality that Ross Stewart has, he’s going to take that chance,” Rosenior said. “I was really delighted with the response, to come back into the game and play our way into the game.

“It is two points dropped, but that’s because we were the dominant, better team.

“The first half was edgy, we had to be organised and difficult to beat, but in the second half we came out of the traps, we won the penalty, didn’t take the opportunity, but overall we were on top and it is two points dropped because we played at a really good level.

“We need to turn those draws into wins, but I see real signs of progress in terms of performance levels in the group. In terms of our organisation we look more solid and difficult to beat.

“We’re on the verge of being a really good team and that’s a pleasing aspect for me at the moment.”