ANY DARING to dream was quickly put to bed at the Stadium of Light last night as Stoke City progressed into the fourth round of the Capital One Cup at the expense of last year’s finalists Sunderland.

A cup run that brought so much hope to despairing Sunderland fans last year showed little signs of doing similar in a dull encounter. While this could have ignited Gus Poyet’s side into doing something in the league, much like it did last season, the Black Cats’ efforts came to nought this time around, and Wembley will have to wait until the FA Cup comes back around.

Jozy Altidore opened the scoring for Sunderland before Marc Muniesa turned the game on its head with strikes either side of half-time.

Last year's cup exploits, rather than a distraction, were a welcome relief for Sunderland, a bright side to look on. But now, with seven games down, and only one win to their names, Poyet has a job on his hands in order to raise morale on Wearside.

Poyet hinted that he would make a couple of changes before the game, in the end it was seven, with Costel Pantilimon, Liam Bridcutt and Altidore all challenged to stake their claims for a starting berth in the Premier League.

And Sunderland started brightly, with Billy Jones, in at left back in place of Patrick van Aanholt, crossing for Altidore, who just missed the full-back’s teasing ball in the first minute.

Will Buckley skipped down the right flank on six minutes, where Rodwell fired just over the crossbar, before N’Zonzi’s shot from distance was gathered by Pantilimon at the other end.

Altidore had not scored in 2014 before last night, his goal drought lasting 30 games before he ended it in style after 17 minutes. The American international, whose last goal came against Chelsea in December 2013, took a touch from Jones’ square ball and shot on the turn leaving Jack Butland stranded.

The relief was palpable for a player who Sunderland fans desperately wish to be a success on Wearside, with the club’s management eager for the striker to repay some of the £6million invested in him last summer.

Sunderland’s industry in the opening 20 minutes was fractured by the goal, and Stoke went on the attack themselves, gaining their equaliser on the half-hour when left-back Muniesa collected Oussama Assaidi’s ball, drove into the area and fired low past Pantilimon.

But the opening 45 minutes’ biggest talking point was the confrontation between Rodwell and N’Zonzi which should have brought a red card for the latter.

Rodwell’s tackle on the Stoke midfielder was poor, and was punished by a booking, but N’Zonzi’s retaliation – to grab Rodwell by the throat – was clearly within the area of violent conduct, which brings a mandatory dismissal.

Dean, who sent Pablo Zabaleta off for Manchester City against Chelsea at the weekend, kept the red in his pocket this time though, which brought a furious reaction from the Sunderland bench.

Coates’ debut for the Black Cats only lasted 45 minutes, with the South American replaced at half-time by Patrick van Aanholt, allowing Santiago Vergini to move into the centre-half position alongside O’Shea, and giving Jones an opportunity to impress from his preferred berth at right-back.

Buckley brought a fine save out of Butland on 63 minutes from Gomez’ cross, with the former Brighton winger volleying goalwards only to be denied by the outstretched fingers of Butland before Muniesa cleared to safety.

Buckley, Vergini and Jones interlinked well on the right-hand side for Sunderland, with the trio cutting through Stoke’s backline on numerous occasions, but Buckley’s next chance was to come on the left after nipping on to a through-ball, only to be denied by Butland once more on 69 minutes, while Vergini got in on the action with a long distance effort which whistled over the crossbar moments later.

Pantilimon was called into action on the counter-attack when Assaidi’s low shot had to be tipped around the post, before Stoke fired in their second against the run of play from the resultant corner.

Muniesa scored it, muscling Adam Johnson off the ball before firing past Pantilimon to protests from the Black Cats’ players. While Sunderland’s sense of injustice regarding N’Zonzi had some grounds, Johnson was simply shrugged off the ball and Pantilimon could do little about Muniesa’s finish.

The former Barcelona defender almost turned provider when his cross for Marko Arnautovic was poked over the crossbar by the Stoke striker with eight minutes to play.

Pantilimon denied substitute Victor Moses with a sprawling challenge as Sunderland went on the attack, but it was to no avail as the curtain came down soon after.