A new manager, according to custom, lifts his side – put two of them together and a goalless stalemate is not a surprising outcome. This is particularly the case perhaps when they have spent much of the past five years working together and know each other’s approach thoroughly.

The hug Blackburn’s Sam Allardyce and Sunderland’s Ricky Sbragia exchanged at the final whistle bespoke rather more respect than merely a Christmas truce.