Sunderland blew Sheffield Wednesday away with a stunning first half performance at Hillsborough to pile the misery on the Championship’s basement side.
Dan Ballard opened the scoring after just five minutes before Jack Clarke netted a brace – one strike from the penalty spot – as boos rang round the ground for the still winless Wednesday.
The result dampened a dismal day for the Club, who saw chairman Dejphon Chansiri hit back at angry fans and brand them as ‘selfish’ in an extraordinary statement on the club’s website.
Discontent has been growing among Owls fans this season, with fans slamming the club’s ticket prices that can see concessions paying £49 for a spot in the club’s South Stand, a price higher than several Premier League clubs.
With disgruntled fans aiming their grievances, Chansiri has responded with a 1,400 word statement in which he threatened to stop funding the club and told fans they have ‘no right’ in asking him to leave.
Sheffield Wednesday’s struggles continued as they were beaten 3-0 by Sunderland on Friday
Chairman Dejphon Chansiri has hit back at critical fans in a statement, announcing he will stop putting money into the club
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Wednesday have now made the joint-worst start after nine games in Championship history.
Owls boss Xisco Munoz made two changes to the team that lost 3-0 at Swansea, with George Byers and Callum Paterson joining the starting XI.
Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray made just the one switch after the 1-0 defeat at home to Cardiff, with Patrick Roberts coming in for Abdoullah Ba.
The first two chances of the game brought goals for the away side.
First, Ballard rose highest to meet Alex Pritchard’s corner after five minutes and just three minutes later Sunderland doubled their advantage when Clarke drove towards goal from the left and arrowed a beauty into the bottom corner.
On-loan Wednesday man John Buckley had a go from outside the box but his effort was put past the post by goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, then Anthony Musaba chanced his arm moments later but saw his curling attempt fly over the bar.
The third goal came in the 31st minute after Bambo Diaby brought down Mason Burstow in the box. Clarke stepped up to send Devis Vasquez the wrong way – it was the Championship top scorer’s second of the night and seventh of the season, six of them coming away from the Stadium of Light.
Home fans who had not already headed for the exits chanted for both manager and chairman to leave the club.
Dan Ballard scored the opening goal for high-flying Sunderland after just five minutes played
Wednesday fans have also called for manager Xisco Munoz to leave the club amid the side’s poor form
In the second half, Pol Valentin made a mazy run down the right-hand side and his cross found Paterson, who saw his shot saved by keeper Patterson.
Jobe Bellingham nearly made it four but his effort from distance went just wide.
Despite bringing on forwards Ashley Fletcher and Djeidi Gassama in the closing stages, Sunderland comfortably dealt with the majority of Wednesday’s attacks for the remainder of the game, having done the damage in the first 30 minutes.
The result lifts the Wearsiders to fourth ahead of Saturday’s fixtures, while Wednesday remain bottom, with just two points from their opening nine games.
