LED FROM THE DOCK: Jury out on Sunderland, Newcastle up for cup, Hartlepool United win tarnished by AWOL star, Middlesbrough keeper deserves time

This time around they have doubled their tally in little over a week.

Genuine progress? It is hard to say given how poor Manchester United were during Sunday’s largely tepid clash at the Stadium of Light.

Given that Sunderland have won two out of the previous three encounters between the teams, the home side should arguably have gone for the proverbial jugular against Louis van Gaal’s disjointed hasbeens and plastic wannabes - just as Swansea City did so successfully eight days earlier.

That said, their deserved point from the 1-1 draw will certainly boost confidence before Saturday’s trip to pointless Queens Park Rangers.

But failure to pick up at least a draw from Loftus Road will leave the league table looking uncomfortably familiar for the red and whites before the impending international break.

They may yet rue Sunday as an opportunity missed.

SPEAKING of opportunities missed, Newcastle United were guilty of several during their frustrating 0-0 draw at Aston Villa.

At least in their defence they created some.

Their timid hosts, albeit missing the monstrous menace that is Christian Benteke up front, were content to stifle proceedings by defending deep to counter the Magpies’ pace up front.

With the occasional agricultural challenge also unsettling the likes of Emmanuel Riviere and Remy Cabella, Newcastle boss Alan Pardew pleaded for his new boys to be given time to settle into English football.

So no doubt the French pair and other summer first-team additions will be part of a strong XI to face Gillingham in Tuesday’s Capital One Cup second-round clash.

Should Pardew get his team selection wrong again against lower-league opposition then St James’s Park will be back to its venomous worst for Saturday’s home game with Crystal Palace.

THE gloss surrounding Hartlepool United’s unexpected first win of the season has been somewhat tarnished by the ongoing sideshow surrounding wantaway striker Luke James.

Pools, usually silent on internal matters, have revealed that James failed to attend training three days in a row after submitting the second of two rapid transfer requests.

Will the current impasse force Hartlepool to sell up for less than the talented teenager’s true value?

Or will they make him sweat in the reserves beyond the September 1 window before brokering one of those curiously named “emergency loans” with a view to cashing in permanently come January.

Where Pools would stand if he broke his leg playing for another side mid-November is anyone’s guess.

So perhaps it’s safer to get rid now and use a healthy part of the inevitable “undisclosed fee” to boost Colin Cooper’s squad before the impending deadline.

PS: Well done to Cooper and this team on gaining their first points of the season in Saturday’s 2-1 win at AFC Wimbledon.

Their second-half comeback from a goal down is evidence that all is not as gloomy as some fans would make out.

MIDDLESBROUGH goalie Tomas Mejias followed his costly blooper at Leeds United a week ago by fumbling a routine cross to hand Sheffield Wednesday the lead during Saturday’s 3-2 defeat.

Yet half-a-dozen red shirts all froze underneath the Teesside sun before the ball was finally poked over the line.

With his short time at the Riverside already hampered by injury, Mejias, an imposing presence at 6ft 5in, deserves more time before he is fully judged.

Just like manager Aitor Karanka and Boro as a whole.

Two wins and two defeats is not the worst start to the season in a Championship once again brimming with coupon-busting results.

Such form should keep the club in contention with the play-off pack while Karanka continues to reshape and hopefully improve his squad.