The only similarity between the Olympic Stadium in Rome, where Rami Shaaban played for Arsenal in the Champions League, and Withdean is a running track around the ground.

Albion's modest temporary abode has even less in common with Old Trafford, where Shaaban made his final Premiership appearance for the Gunners in December 2002.

The Swedish-born goalkeeper with an Egyptian background was used to the high life at Highbury but Withdean could be about to become the place he calls home for the next few months.

Shaaban, a free agent signed on non-contract terms, launched his comeback by helping the Seagulls to their best home win of the season against a stunned Sunderland.

After an absence of more than two years, half of which was spent recovering from a broken leg sustained in a Christmas Eve training accident, Shaaban proved to manager Mark McGhee in 90 minutes that he is worth keeping for the rest of Albion's Championship campaign.

Such an arrangement should suit both parties. McGhee is desperate for an experienced and dependable keeper, with Michel Kuipers and Ben Roberts both injured.

David Yelldell, whose month on loan from Blackburn ends this Saturday, lost his place following shaky performances against Derby and Cardiff, while young Chris May is regarded as too raw.

As for Shaaban, it puts the 29-year-old back in the shop window after leaving Arsenal in the summer and missing out on a move to their North London neighbours Spurs.

Albion played so well, even without Adam Virgo for the last hour, that Shaaban did not have that much to do.

An instinctive hand kept out a low cross from Dean Whitehead, immediately after Richard Carpenter had driven the Seagulls into a 26th-minute lead.

In the second half, Shaaban used both fists to block a snapshot from substitute Sean Thornton before his best moment of the afternoon, when he spread his considerable frame on the edge of the six-yard box to hold Julio Arca's shot from 15 yards.

A low 20-yarder from Sunderland's Argentinian winger eventually beat him ten minutes from time but it would have been rough on Shaaban and his hard-working team-mates if Thornton's long-range effort against a post in the closing stages had snatched a draw.

Albion's fourth custodian in the space of five games said: "It's a great start. I've always been lucky with my first games at new clubs.

"At Arsenal I had a clean sheet. That was in the Champions League, so it was a bit different, but you have to start somewhere and I'm very pleased to get 90 minutes of competitive football.

"I'm a bit rusty. It will take time to sort out the communication with the defenders but they were magnificent and the whole team were fantastic.

"I was more nervous playing here than for Arsenal, because before I went to Arsenal I was match fit. Here I had not played competitive football for two years, so this was a big milestone for me."

Shaaban, still well thought of at Arsenal, received good luck messages before the game from Jens Lehmann, Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires.

"I played five games for them, two in the Champions League and three in the Premier League, and then I broke my fibula and tibia," he said.

"It took me almost a year to come back from that and it was a hard time. I have such good friends still at Arsenal who cheered me up and they wished me good luck.

"I don't think I made a single mistake in those five games and I think I also have the best record for goals conceded in minutes played in Arsenal's history.

"Of course, I wanted to be there but I don't blame Arsenal. It's up to me to perform now I'm back. You never know, I might end up back there or somewhere else."

For now Shaaban can reflect on his part in a stirring first victory for five games for Albion which, by McGhee's reckoning, leaves them just three more wins from safety.

McGhee got his tactics spot-on, matching Sunderland's 4-4-2 by moving Virgo back up front and utilising Leon Knight's ball skills on the left flank.

Carpenter's deflected shot, his fourth goal in 11 matches, was followed four minutes later by the controversial dismissal of Virgo.

He could have no complaints about his fourth-minute booking for an ill-timed aerial challenge on Steve Caldwell, but TV replays suggested Dermot Gallagher was harsh in cautioning him again for a ball-winning tackle on Jeff Whitley which the referee deemed reckless.

Albion, undaunted by their numerical disadvantage, increased their lead when careless Sunderland marking allowed Mark McCammon to head his third home goal in two games from Carpenter's corner just before the break.

Inevitably, it was backs to the wall for long periods after that and nobody did more to secure the points than Knight.

McGhee said: "I tried to pick the most positive side I could, with Leon in a position he makes his way to in a lot in games anyway, coming in from the lefthand side, and I thought he was terrific.

"When we went down to ten men he did a midfield job. At times we have questioned how prepared he is to do that sort of job but he did it really well."

  • ALBION (4-4-2) Shaaban; Reid, Hinshelwood, Butters, Harding; Hart, Nicolas, Carpenter Knight; Virgo, McCammon. Subs: Hammond for McCammon (withdrawn 86), Watson, Mayo, Jones, Yelldell
  • Booking: Knight (88) foul
  • Sent-off: Virgo (4) foul and (30) foul
  • Scorers: Carpenter (26), McCammon (43)
  • SUNDERLAND (4-4-2) Myhre; Wright, Breen, Caldwell, McCartney; Whitehead, Robinson, Whitley, Arca; Stewart, Elliott. Subs: Thornton for Whitley (withdrawn 46), Brown for Whitehead (withdrawn 46), Bridges for Elliott (withdrawn 66), Alnwick, Collins
  • Bookings: Wright (49) foul, McCartney (65) foul, Thornton (75) dive
  • Scorer: Arca (80)
  • Attendance: 6,647.
  • Fans' View: ROY SCARBOROUGH (Hailsham) It was a really gutsy performance as the players knuckled down and fought like hell. Alexis Nicolas played brilliantly in midfield and Leon Knight terrorised them on the wing but how can you pick a single man of the match out of that lot as they were all so good? I was very proud of them.

BRIAN BAKER (Hassocks) Albion played particularly well in the first half and at one point looked like winning about 3-0. Adam Virgo shouldn't have got himself on a yellow card in the first place because the first one was a bit of a silly challenge. I don't think Albion are much worse than Everton and Man U on the box.

TRISH LEE (Brighton) Our best home win of the season. I think the sponsors gave the man of the match to Dan Harding, which was fair enough because he was excellent, but it could have gone to any one of a number of players.

JOHN McDONALD (Sunderland fan) Oh dear. For a team in our position to play most of the game against ten men and still lose is not really acceptable. Fair play to Brighton and they deserve their new stadium as soon as possible.