goal, but was sent–off for a second bookable offence for taking off his shirt while celebrating. After serving a two match suspension, Wallace scored on his return, scoring the breakthrough goal in the 62nd minute, in a 1–1 draw against Southampton on 11 November 2006. Following this, he was involved in the first team, and the left-wing position had been highly contested between the player and teammate Tobias Hysén. Due to injuries, his early form did tail towards the back end of the season. But Wallace was able to re-find his form as the season ended, rotating in playing either the left–back position and left–wing position and scored three more goals. Sunderland fans were more than pleased with the promising form the player showed throughout the 2006–07 campaign as the club won the Championship. At the end of the 2006–07 season, he went on to make thirty–three appearances and scoring six times in all competitions. Following this, Wallace was in talks with Sunderland over an improved contract. Wallace started the 2007–08 season as Sunderland's first choice left-back despite several new defenders joining the club during pre-season. In the first game of the season against Tottenham Hotspur on 11 August 2007, he lined up on Sunderland's starting eleven to make his Premier League debut and successfully provided the 93rd minute assist that enabled Michael Chopra to score and the club went on to win the game. In a follow–up match into the second game away to Birmingham City, Wallace played an integral part in the decisive goal when he provided the free kick that eventually led to Stern John's late equaliser, resulting in a 2–2 draw. Wallace then scored his first Premier League goal, in a 2–1 win against Reading at the Stadium of Light on 15 September 2007. Three weeks later on 7 October 2007, he scored his second goal of the season, in a 3–2 loss against Arsenal, which was the first ever goal for Sunderland at their first ever game at the Emirates Stadium. Despite his involvement in the first team so far, manager Keane stated he would consider offers for Wallace, along with five other players and was placed on a transfer list. However, it was reported on 18 January 2008 that Wallace had sustained an Anterior Cruciate Ligament knee injury and would therefore miss the rest of the 2007–08 football season. While on the sidelines, he