Alex Neil makes a candid selection admission as he explains his key decisions in crucial Sunderland win

Elliot Embleton again came off the bench to make a major contribution, scoring an 89th-minute winner against Oxford United.

The Black Cats had taken an early lead through Corry Evans but were pegged back by Elliott Moore and struggled for momentum through much of the first half.

A surprising late substitution proved key, with Danny Batth replacing Nathan Broadhead as the Black Cats switched to a back four.

Embleton then replaced Jack Clarke before scoring his crucial winner.

Neil added that Anthony Patterson's stunning save from Ciaron Brown with the scores level was a key moment.

"When you're playing the teams at the top end of the division and everyone is vying for those spots, games are defined by key moments," he said.

"The first half, I overthought our set up and I thought that our structure wasn't as good as it could have been. I thought we looked really threatening, but we didn't have any control of the game and I think that was disappointing from my point of view.

"I said to the players after the game all credit to them because when you haven't played well in the first half it isn't easy to change it. I thought the second half was really even, as it began to drift they started to bombard our box and I thought the only way they would score would probably be a set play.

"That's why I put Danny Batth on, I thought he helped us tremendously. Equally, Embo has had a big part to play of late in affecting games, and he popped up again there.

"What you want to see from your team is a reflection of yourself, and in recent weeks the resilience I like to think I had as a player and a person, you can see on the pitch. All credit to my players for that. That doesn't come easily, you can see that never-say-die attitude and that takes you a long, long way.

"I'm delighted with the three points, that's the most important thing.

"The big thing about being a manager is that a lot of people will disagree, unless it works and then they go 'well done'," he added of his substitutions.

"That's football. Not every decision I will make will work but what I saw from the side was that they were bombarding my box, and I didn't want to lsoe the game.

"Then equally I know Embo has the quality to potentially win it. So I'm making sure I'm semi-cautious to protect where we're vulnerable, and then throwing caution to the win at the top end of the pitch."

Neil also confirmed that his half-time decision to switch Patrick Roberts with Luke O'Nien was tactical: "We lost the midfield battle physically [in the first half.

"Unfortunately for Patrick and Broady, Corry [Evans] and Jay [Matete] were so deep that they weren't even in the fight.

"So we've got two of our smaller lads trying to win that fight - and like I say, that's on me, I didn't get that right."