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Jack Clarke's opener was timed at 52 seconds for SunderlandSunderland blew away in-form Southampton to kickstart their Championship season in emphatic fashion at a raucous Stadium of Light.
Saints had won three and drawn one of their opening four games but never recovered once Jack Clarke stooped to head the home side in front in the first minute from a beautiful curling cross by Trai Hume.
The lead was doubled six minutes later when Pierre Ekwah took a pass on the edge of the box, was not closed down, and drilled a low shot which was deflected beyond a sprawling Gavin Bazunu by Flynn Downes.
Ekwah hammered in the Black Cats' third just before half-time, cutting out a Mason Holgate pass and curling a shot beyond Bazunu at his near post.
Bradley Dack put the game beyond any doubt when he tucked in Abdoullah Ba's cross from close range just after the break.
Teenager Chris Rigg capped a dominant second league win of the season with a cool header in injury time, despatching a teasing Jewison Bennette cross with ease.
Southampton managed to trouble goalkeeper Anthony Patterson on limited occasions, with Holgate and Sekou Mara heading wide with two of their best opportunities.
The Saints' inability to break down the Wearsiders left boss Russell Martin frustrated, often with his head in his hands, as the hosts saw out a comfortable victory.
Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray has spoken of his desire to sign a striker, with Ross Stewart coincidentally now a Southampton player, but his side showed they might just cope without the Scot after a clinical display.
Jack Clarke's constant probing, Abdoullah Ba's defence-stretching runs and the cuteness of Dack around the box gave Mowbray's side a different dimension, while Ekwah's eye for goal is a welcome addition to his ability to command the midfield.
Conversely, Southampton have a wealth of striking talent to add to Stewart's arrival once fit, with multi-million pound signings Adam Armstrong and Che Adams around the squad.
However, they lacked the midfield control to utilise their attacking talent, and defensively looked shaky against a succession of clever crosses from the hosts.
Line-ups
Sunderland
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Patterson
- 32Hume
- 13O'NienBooked at 42mins
- 5Ballard
- 3Cirkin
- 24Neil
- 39Ekwah
- 17BaBooked at 39minsSubstituted forRiggat 82'minutes
- 46DackSubstituted forPritchardat 64'minutes
- 20ClarkeSubstituted forBennetteat 81'minutes
- 7BellinghamSubstituted forSilva Semedoat 63'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Huggins
- 9Silva Semedo
- 18Taylor
- 19Bennette
- 21Pritchard
- 23Seelt
- 25Triantis
- 30Bishop
- 31Rigg
Southampton
Formation 4-3-3
- 31Bazunu
- 2Walker-Peters
- 35Bednarek
- 6HolgateSubstituted forCharlesat 64'minutes
- 3Manning
- 16SmallboneSubstituted forAlcarazat 82'minutes
- 4Downes
- 17S ArmstrongSubstituted forAdamsat 45'minutesBooked at 69mins
- 18MaraBooked at 35minsSubstituted forAriboat 72'minutes
- 9A Armstrong
- 23EdozieSubstituted forFraserat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 1McCarthy
- 7Aribo
- 10Adams
- 14Bree
- 21Harwood-Bellis
- 22Alcaraz
- 24Charles
- 26Fraser
- 27Amo-Ameyaw
Referee:David Coote
Attendance:41,459
Live Text
Match ends, Sunderland 5, Southampton 0.
Second Half ends, Sunderland 5, Southampton 0.
Goal! Sunderland 5, Southampton 0. Chris Rigg (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jewison Bennette with a cross.
Carlos Alcaraz (Southampton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Daniel Neil (Sunderland).
Attempt missed. Luís Semedo (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Daniel Neil.
Offside, Sunderland. Alex Pritchard tries a through ball, but Jewison Bennette is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Shea Charles (Southampton) header from very close range misses to the left. Assisted by Ryan Manning with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Pierre Ekwah.
Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Gavin Bazunu.
Attempt saved. Luís Semedo (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Daniel Neil.
Attempt blocked. Carlos Alcaraz (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Kyle Walker-Peters.
Joe Aribo (Southampton) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Dennis Cirkin (Sunderland).
Kyle Walker-Peters (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Chris Rigg (Sunderland).
Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Jewison Bennette.
Kyle Walker-Peters (Southampton) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Chris Rigg (Sunderland).
Substitution, Southampton. Carlos Alcaraz replaces Will Smallbone.
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