Chris Wilder said he "always felt there was a winner" inside Sheffield United as they snatched a late win over Sunderland to go top of the Championship.

A thrilling first half saw a Patrick Roberts penalty saved by Michael Cooper after Jack Robinson's foul on Tom Watson before each side was shown a red card apiece before the break.

Chris Mepham received his marching orders in the 40th minute for bringing down last-man Tyrese Campbell before Harry Souttar was dismissed seven minutes later for a second booking after tugging back Wilson Isidor.

Anthony Patterson made smart saves to keep Sunderland level, but he was helpless when Tom Davies, on his return from injury, slotted an 83rd-minute winner past him.

It is an eighth clean sheet in a row at home for United, and Wilder was delighted with how they dug deep to get the three points.

"The last 20 to 25 minutes, there was only one team that looked like winning in my opinion," Wilder told Sky Sports. "That last 25 minutes were outstanding, and the fitness levels were amazing.

"We needed to control the middle of the park and when we did, I thought we were good. We still made poor decisions. When you make poor decisions, it becomes a basketball game.

"I always felt there was a winner inside us, and I never felt like they were going to score."

Meanwhile, Sunderland stay fourth in the table after their 10-match unbeaten run came to an end at Bramall Lane.

They had more shots (16 to United's 14) and created a higher expected goals (xG) tally with 1.69 to the hosts' 0.89, though their missed penalty was one of just two efforts on target.

Regis Le Bris was left lamenting his side's wasted chances as they missed the chance to go top themselves if they had won. 

"My first thought is frustration," he told the club's media channels. "We played the game we wanted to play.

"Obviously, it was against a strong team in a tough place, but we dominated most of the game, and we were good out of possession and efficient.

"We took confidence, and the last point was to score, but we didn't, and my main concern is that one. How can we be so dominant against a strong team only to lose at the end?

"It's really frustrating, but it's a question of luck. We have to work; we have to build up the small details to find a solution."