Had Danny Graham snatched a last-gasp winner, the headlines would have had the reporters in raptures.
As it happens, unsung hero Titus Bramble produced a dramatic challenge that saved the Swansea striker from humiliation, should he move to Wearside ahead of tomorrow’s transfer deadline.
Titus Bramble: “It look like the headlines were already written.
“But as a defender, you’ve got to throw your body at the ball and hope for the best. Luckily it’s hit me and didn’t go in the goal.
“No one likes to be out of the team.
“But you’ve just got to work hard in training and when you get your chance, you’ve got to try to take it.
“Before I’ve played and then gone back out of the team.
“But now I’ve played four or five games, my confidence is high and we’re not getting beat either.
“The last year or so I’ve come in and then got injured after two or three games which has been disappointing. Maybe it’s my age, I’m not getting any younger!
“But it’s been good to play over the last few weeks without getting any injuries.
“I think it was a fair result.
“Swansea are full of confidence after what they did to Chelsea.
“Maybe before the game, you would have taken a point, but being at home we would have liked to have created more.
“But that wasn’t the case and the main thing was we didn’t get beat.
“They just keep the ball for fun and you’ve got to keep concentrating and try to minimise their chances.
“But when we get back in today, the thing we’ll look at is the chances and why we didn’t create as many chances as we have been doing.
“That was disappointing, but the positive was we didn’t get beat.”
SUNDERLAND 0 SWANSEA 0
22. Simon Mignolet
8. Craig Gardner
19. Titus Bramble
16. John O'Shea
14. Jack Colback
21. Adam Johnson 84'
4. Alfred N'Diaye 66'
15. David Vaughan
7. Sebastian Larsson
28. Stephane Sessegnon
26. Steven Fletcher
Subs
20. Keiren Westwood
2. Phil Bardsley
10. Connor Wickham 84'
12. Matthew Kilgallon
18. Kader Mangane
23. James McClean 66'
27. Ahmed Elmohamady
Titus Bramble denied wanted man Danny Graham an injury-time winner as Sunderland and Swansea played out a stalemate.
Defender Bramble blocked a shot from Graham, Black Cats' boss Martin O'Neill's prime target for what remains of the winter transfer window, in the third minute of stoppage time to rescue a point.
The 27-year-old had been booed by sections of the home fans as he was introduced as a 74th-minute replacement for Leon Britton, but his reception as he left the pitch might have been even more virulent had Bramble not intervened.
In a classic game of two halves, the visitors failed to make the most of their dominance during the opening 45 minutes, while Sunderland were equally unable to capitalise on a much-improved display after the break.
Midfielder Nathan Dyer passed up a glorious opportunity to win it for the visitors nine minutes from time when he fired wide with the goal at his mercy, and both sides ultimately had to settle for a point in front of a crowd of 35,628 at the Stadium of Light.
Graham's presence on the Swansea bench was perhaps a blow for those home fans who want him and a boost for the travelling supporters, although it is understood Sunderland are hopeful of completing a swoop for the 27-year-old before Thursday's deadline.
And their need for reinforcements in attack was graphically illustrated during an opening 45 minutes in which they struggled to win the ball, let alone do anything with it.
Leading scorer Steven Fletcher and playmaker Stephane Sessegnon were virtual spectators as the Black Cats were at times left chasing shadows by Swansea's passing and movement.
In fairness, another striker would have made little difference such was the paucity of their share of the possession.
The Swans may have been guilty of over-playing at times, but they created much of what was to be admired in the first half, although without troubling goalkeeper Simon Mignolet unduly.
His one save of note came with 17 minutes played when he had to get down smartly at the foot of his near post to turn away a snapshot from, of all people, central defender Chico.
Striker Itay Shechter had already had appeals for a fifth-minute penalty waved away by referee Andre Marriner - replays suggested an angry John O'Shea had been given the benefit of the doubt - when Michu saw a shot deflected wide by Craig Gardner.
That was to become something of a theme with Dyer, who had earlier curled an effort high and wide, seeing a 15th-minute strike deflected out for a corner and, in the closing minutes of the half, O'Shea threw himself into the path of another Michu strike to protect his keeper.
Sunderland offered little in response, although goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel had to be on his toes to beat away Sebastian Larsson's 21st-minute free-kick as it sped across his penalty area.
Gardner had a chance to test the German with a free-kick 25 yards out five minutes before the break, but he uncharacteristically blasted horribly high and wide.
Sunderland resumed after the break in determined mood and Chico had to hack away Larsson's cross as Sessegnon, who had been moved from a wide position in behind Fletcher before the break, prepared to pull the trigger.
O'Neill's men had a far greater urgency about them with Gardner in particular causing problems down the right.
Jonathan de Guzman landed a curling free-kick on the roof of Mignolet's net with an hour gone, but it took a timely interception by Ashley Williams to prevent David Vaughan picking out Fletcher in front of goal three minutes later.
But as substitute Ki Sung-yeung started to get to grips in the middle of the field, Swansea started to restore a measure of order and Mignolet had to field the midfielder's well-struck 69th-minute shot from distance.
Dyer could have snatched victory at the death, only to sidefoot wastefully wide after running onto Michu's intelligent pass.
Full-back Dwight Tiendalli whistled a shot across the face of goal in the final minute of normal time, but Bramble had to get in a priceless block to deny Graham from point-blank range after Michu had headed down for him deep into injury time.
SUNDERLAND v SWANSEA
2012/2013 Sat 01 Sep Swansea City 2 - 2 Sunderland Premier League
2011/2012 Sat 21 Jan Sunderland 2 - 0 Swansea City Premier League
Sat 27 Aug Swansea City 0 - 0 Sunderland Premier League
1982/1983 Sat 19 Mar Sunderland 1 - 1 Swansea City First Division
Sat 06 Nov Swansea City 3 - 0 Sunderland First Division
1981/1982 Sat 20 Feb Sunderland 0 - 1 Swansea City First Division
Sat 26 Sep Swansea City 2 - 0 Sunderland First Division
1979/1980 Sat 22 Mar Sunderland 1 - 1 Swansea City Second Division
Sat 10 Nov Swansea City 3 - 1 Sunderland Second Division
1963/1964 Sat 04 Apr Sunderland 1 - 0 Swansea Tn. Second Division
Sat 23 Nov Swansea Tn. 1 - 2 Sunderland Second Division
Wed 25 Sep Swansea Tn. 3 - 1 Sunderland League Cup
1962/1963 Sat 11 May Swansea Tn. 3 - 4 Sunderland Second Division
Sat 01 Sep Sunderland 3 - 1 Swansea Tn. Second Division
1961/1962 Sat 28 Apr Swansea Tn. 1 - 1 Sunderland Second Division
Sat 09 Dec Sunderland 7 - 2 Swansea Tn. Second Division
1960/1961 Sat 17 Dec Swansea Tn. 3 - 3 Sunderland Second Division
Sat 20 Aug Sunderland 2 - 1 Swansea Tn. Second Division
1959/1960 Sat 16 Jan Sunderland 4 - 0 Swansea Tn. Second Division
Sat 05 Sep Swansea Tn. 1 - 2 Sunderland Second Division
1958/1959 Sat 31 Jan Sunderland 2 - 1 Swansea Tn. Second Division
Sat 13 Sep Swansea Tn. 5 - 0 Sunderland Second Division
1954/1955 Wed 23 Feb Sunderland 1 - 0 Swansea Tn. F.A. Cup
Sat 19 Feb Swansea Tn. 2 - 2 Sunderland F.A. Cup
1936/1937 Sat 20 Feb Sunderland 3 - 0 Swansea Tn. F.A. Cup
Sunderland Fixtures
Saturday February 2 15:00 Reading v Sunderland
Saturday February 9 15:00 Sunderland v Arsenal
Saturday February 23 15:00 West Brom Sunderland
Saturday March 2 15:00 Sunderland v Fulham
Saturday March 9 15:00 QPR v Sunderland