CHRISTIAN KAREMBEU dealt a self-inflicted blow to Middlesbrough's relegation fight when he was sent off in a tempestuous Tees-Wear clash at the Riverside Stadium last night.

The World Cup-winning Frenchman lost his cool with Sunderland substitute Darren Williams five minutes from time and saw red for a second bookable offence.

Teessider Williams had been on the field only seven minutes and was booked for his part in the shoving match.

Karembeu, cautioned in the first half for encroachment, foolishly reacted to his dismissal by pushing Williams again before being ushered away by stand-in skipper Robbie Mustoe.

As well as sending off Karembeu, referee Andy D'Urso booked seven other players in a typically niggly derby encounter.

Karembeu will now miss the crucial home game against Manchester United two weeks on Saturday.

Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips twice hit the woodwork in an opening period dominated by the Wearsiders.

But neither side possessed the verve and invention needed to make the breakthrough.

And while the point moves Sunderland back into the top six in their quest for a place in Europe, fourth-bottom Boro only have a two-point cushion between themselves and the drop zone.

Curtis Fleming shook off a toe injury to take over at left-back from fellow Republic of Ireland international Keith O'Neill, who was ruled out with a groin problem sustained in the defeat at Chelsea.

Colin Cooper, another casualty of the Stamford Bridge clash, succumbed to the hip injury which had brought O'Neill into the action in the opening minutes of the 2-1 setback nine days earlier.

Sunderland manager Peter Reid resisted the temptation to recall Williams, who scored the Wearsiders' winner at the Riverside four years ago, and stuck with on-loan Frenchman Patrice Carteron at right-back.

Dean Windass, who marked his Boro debut with the goal against Chelsea, made his home bow last night.

The £1m signing from Bradford City soon made his mark - on Sunderland keeper Thomas Sorensen at least.

Windass was booked in only the fourth minute for a reckless one-on-one lunge at Sorensen, which left the giant Dane in need of attention to his right shoulder.

Don Hutchison and Julio Arca had early efforts at goal for Sunderland before teammate Gavin McCann evened up the bookings tally after committing a crude challenge on Paul Okon.

In a frenetic opening, Karembeu became the third player booked after only 13 minutes when he failed to retreat at a free-kick.

It led to Sunderland being awarded another set-piece at the other end after Gianluca Festa was penalised for a challenge on Hutchison.

The Scottish international spotted the opportunity to take the free-kick quickly and cunningly curled a right-footed attempt which Mark Schwarzer did well to shovel away at his far post.

Sunderland showed more urgency and enterprise in the early stages and the hard-pressed Boro defence suffered a major loss in the 18th minute.

Festa was stretchered off after falling awkwardly following a challenge with Phillips.

Boro's first goal attempt belatedly arrived in the 20th minute, but Alen Boksic couldn't connect cleanly with his shot and Sorensen saved with ease.

There were more anxious moments for Boro six minutes later when Sunderland appealed furiously for a penalty after Arca went down under the challenge of Steve Vickers.

And the visitors should have gone ahead in the 28th minute when the irrepressible Hutchison headed the ball on for Phillips.

The striker rounded Schwarzer but found the angle too acute and could only watch as his finish came back off the near post.

Karembeu and Stefan Schwarz were then spoken to by Mr D'Urso after a wrestling match in which the Sunderland midfielder appeared to kick out at the Frenchman.

Phillips was frustrated by the woodwork again two minutes before half-time after Sunderland had won a free-kick when Jason Gavin was booked for pulling Hutchison's shirt.

Phillips was on the end of things and his looping header from the right grazed the post with keeper Schwarzer stranded.

Boksic's own frustrations surfaced when he was cautioned for kicking the ball away.

Up to half-time, the Boro frontline were denied any decent service and it needed a Carteron slip to let in Windass, who was only foiled by the foot of Sorensen.

Boro sought more attacking intent after the break, with Hamilton Ricard an interval replacement for Noel Whelan.

Schwarz, lucky not to be booked earlier, was the sixth player booked when he stupidly kicked the dead ball into the crowd.

Boro began to raise their game and provide Sunderland with a stern test of resolve.

Boksic and Ricard both fired into the side-netting in the space of three minutes.

First Mustoe's 20-yard drive was only parried by Sorensen and Boksic was narrowly off target with the follow-up.

Then Karembeu released Ricard on the right, but the Colombian too was just the wrong side of the post with his finish.

Ricard fired over at the end of a powerful run before moments later setting up Boksic on the right for a venomous angled drive which flashed just wide of the foot of the post.

With Boro having gained the initiative, Sunderland brought on striker Niall Quinn in place of Kevin Kilbane in the 65th minute in a bid to buck up their own attacking ideas.

Boro were forced to make another change when the hobbling Fleming made way for striker Brian Deane.

Sunderland then came agonisingly close to a breakthrough, Schwarzer making a desperate goalmouth save at the feet of Emerson Thome following a Hutchison flick-on.

Deane's first contribution was to fell Sunderland skipper Michael Gray and earn a yellow card.

In a dramatic finale Boro won a free-kick when Gray, under pressure from Ricard, was forced to pass back to Sorensen.

But Boksic was out of luck from a twice-taken free-kick and Boro have now gone a staggering six-and-a-half hours without a home goal.