Luke O'Nien admits he has no idea how Plymouth Argyle escaped with a clean sheet after Sunderland created chance after chance as they slid to defeat against the Pilgrims. The Black Cats lost 2-0 against the Championship newcomers at Home Park despite dominating the game and creating many more opportunities than their hosts.

But while Morgan Whittaker and Finn Azaz scored in the first-half with Plymouth's only two shots on target all afternoon, Sunderland had nothing to show for their 24 attempts with Jobe Bellingham and Trai Hume going closest when they were denied by the woodwork either side of half-time. Plymouth went into the match having won just one of their last eight games and sitting in 19th place, but O'Nien says they are a much better side than their situation suggests.

He said: "I think you need to give them credit, they are a very good team," said skipper O'Nien, who returned to the Sunderland side after missing the 3-1 win against Birmingham City last time out through suspension. "We worked hard on the game plan and when they scored two goals the game plan slightly changes.

"I think they are a very good team. I have played against their manager [Steven Schumacher] multiple times, I think even in League Two.

"He is a very good manager who has his team very well organised from back to front but how they came away with a clean sheet I do not know. Fair play to them, they were very, very good.

"I'm going to look forward to playing them at our place where we will look to put in a better performance than we did on Saturday."

In the wake of this disappointing defeat, which saw the Black Cats drop out of the play-off places to ninth in the table, Sunderland must learn lessons and become a better team. O'Nien said: "There was no lack of effort, it's always there.

"It's the basic what we build every game off. We didn't give ourselves a good enough platform for the second half, although we did create enough chances.

"I felt if one [goal] came, one or two more would have come as well. We just couldn't get the ball in the back of the net and it was one of those days.

"There was lots to learn from and we will learn our lessons and become a better team."

The result meant the 1,600 or so fans who made the 800-mile round trip from Sunderland to Devon had nothing to show for their long journey. O'Nien thanked them for their unstinting support, saying the fans make Sunderland 'the best club in the world'.

O'Nien said: "It's disappointing when the fans have travelled that sort of distance. We saw them at the hotel on Saturday morning and we didn't give them something to remember on their trip home, but I know those guys will be there again and again.

"It's one of those reasons why it makes this club the best club in the world. A big thank you to the fans that travelled.

"We are obviously disappointed but we have to make sure that performances like this are the reason why we learn and get better in the future."

Sunderland have little time to dwell on their disappointment with a home game against another struggling side Huddersfield Town next up on Wednesday. Darren Moore's Terriers scored a late equaliser to hold Southampton to a 1-1 draw on Saturday, but they still sit fourth bottom, just four points above the relegation zone.

O'Nien said: "We are looking forward to it. I think it's good when you lose and have a game that comes around quite quickly.

"We are going to be resting up. I know the staff looked at the game on the way back [from Plymouth] and a few of the boys as well."