Chris Coleman's first game in charge of Sunderland has ended in defeat as the beleaguered Black Cats lost 2-1 at Aston Villa on Tuesday night.
The Villans went two goals up through Albert Adomah and Josh Onomah before Lewis Grabban pulled one back for the visitors in a much-improved performance.
The result at Villa Park sees Sunderland remain bottom of the Championship, while Steve Bruce's charges climb up to fourth in the table.
At Bramall Lane, Sheffield United and Fulham served up a nine-goal thriller which saw the visitors claim all three points and two players score a hat-trick.
Leon Clarke got the first of his treble to give the hosts an early lead before Sheyi Ojo and Ryan Sessegnon goals edged the Cottagers ahead.
Clarke's second levelled it up only for Sessegnon to get his second to make it 3-2 to Fulham at half time.
Ojo's second gave Slavisa Jokanovic's side breathing room before Sessegnon scored his first career hat-trick to seemingly put the game out of reach.
However, late goals from Samir Carruthers and a third for Clarke set up a tense finish, complete with 14 minutes of added time, the outcome of which saw Fulham edge up to 14th in the table.
The Blades' defeat allowed Cardiff City to leapfrog them into second place, the Bluebirds winning 1-0 at Barnsley thanks to Callum Paterson's goal.
Derby County edged up into the playoff positions thanks to a 2-0 win over Queens Park Rangers, with East Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest snapping at their heels in seventh after a 1-0 win over Norwich City.
There has been no change to the bottom three, with Burton Albion held to a 1-1 draw at Brentford and Bolton Wanderers playing out a 2-2 draw with Reading.
Tuesday night's other results saw Preston North End claim a 2-1 win at Bristol City and a goalless stalemate between Millwall and Hull City at The Den.
Championship results in full: Aston Villa 2-1 Sunderland, Barnsley 0-1 Cardiff City, Brentford 1-1 Burton Albion, Bristol City 1-2 Preston North End, Derby County 2-0 Queens Park Rangers, Millwall 0-0 Hull City, Nottingham Forest 1-0 Norwich City, Sheffield United 4-5 Fulham, Bolton Wanderers 2-2 Reading
Giuseppe Labellarte
