Phil Smith: Four things I thought watching Sunderland's win and three moments you may have missed

Sunderland got their home campaign up and running in stunning style on Sunday, running out 4-0 winners over Sheffield Wednesday.

Here, Phil Smith goes through his key talking points from the game and some of the interesting moments you may have missed...

The Stadium of Light afternoon we all needed

Part of the joy of being four-nil up with twenty minutes to play is that you can actually take a moment just to bask in the glow of it all. A pause in the game saw a rendition of 'stand up, if you love Sunderland' start up in the Roker End and it wasn't long 'til you could hear it right around the Stadium of Light. If we're honest, following Sunderland has been a miserable experience for the vast majority of 2024 and a combination of the football on show and the hangover of the Black Cats Bar debacle cast a long shadow over this ground.

It’s up to Sunderland and Regis Le Bris' side to turn that around and though it's still very early days, this was a real tonic. Sunderland were superb, delivering the most aggressive and high-tempo display since Tony Mowbray's departure. After a quiet start, the intensity of Le Bris' players got the crowd going and swept away a highly-fancied opponent. This was the bold, creative football that had been promised and there was plenty of the summer TLC on show, too. The pitch was in superb condition and a new Bose speaker system was deployed to its full capacity as ‘Paint Your Wagon’ joyously rang out at the final whistle.

After the dismal scenes in the city centre a few weeks back, what a relief it was to see Sunderland buzzing again. There were times through the second half of last season when you wondered why you bother but seeing this young, vibrant side feeding off the energy of 40,000 fans - yeah, that's why we do it.

It might be hard to catch teams out like this again

This game was a little bit of a reality check for a Sheffield Wednesday side who had rightly come into the game full of confidence after months of strong form under head coach Danny Rohl. That confidence was reflected in their ultra-aggressive approach to their game, and their determination to try and play through Sunderland's aggressive press. Afterwards Rohl suggested he had wanted to see a little bit more flexibility from his side in possession (which was presumably behind his half-time decision to introduce Michael Smith), and that they had too often played into Barry Bannan. A fine player, but in this game badly isolated as Sunderland's midfield three swarmed over him.

Sunderland deserve a lot of credit for the way they played but they’ll have to find different ways of breaking an opponent down in the weeks ahead. Put simply, most clubs will watch this game and think twice about being as open as Wednesday were. Sunderland have struggled in the last few seasons to put away teams who get players behind the ball at the Stadium of Light and slow the game down when they can. Le Bris know that is a very different challenge that lies in wait for his players, and is one of the key reasons why he wasn't going to get carried away after the game.

Every one of Sunderland's three central midfielders is going to play in the Premier League

Every Sunderland player produced a strong performance in this game but as Rohl alluded to there, it was in midfield that the game was won. Sunderland's trio had an average of just 19 but were in complete control of the game, with Chris Rigg's audacious pass to release Clarke in the build up to the fourth goal a perfect example of the level they were able to reach. It would be a huge shock if any of this trio didn't make it to the Premier League one day and all fans can do is enjoy them and hope they manage it with the Black Cats.

Sunderland need cover at full back

An experienced striker is clearly the priority for Sunderland in the last couple of weeks of the transfer window but additional cover at full back is also key. With Timothee Pembele not part of Le Bris' plans, an injury or suspension to Trai Hume would mean a huge reshuffle is required. Le Bris has been relaxed about this and said he would likely switch to a back three and play an attacking player at wing back in such a scenario, but that would be far from ideal. Left back is less of a concern as once Dan Ballard is fit, Aji Alese offers another high-calibre option. But the other flank needs addressing at some stage - even if it's hard to recruit a player who clearly starts well behind the consistently excellent Hume in the pecking order.

And some moments you may have missed

Le Bris makes his point after Mayenda brace

Sunderland's head coach was fulsome in his praise of his young striker after the game but the fact that he had scored two goals wasn't really the point. Le Bris saw this as an opportunity to send a message to the entirety of the dressing room and was quick to do so. He spoke about how it ben Mayenda's attitude that had been behind his rise from barely getting a kick at Hibernian to being the starting striker at Sunderland this season, his willingness to learn from his team mates and the demands he places on the coaching staff to help him improve. Le Bris puts a huge amount of emphasis on the training pitch and in video analysis, and Mayenda has clearly been one of those who has taken quickly to his methods. Le Bris wanted everyone to know that a place for them in the team is there if they follow suit, and to make the point to all of on the outside that sometimes the solutions you're looking for can be found internally with the right amount of hard work and patience.

Mundle's positional hint

Mundle, like Mayenda, made huge strides over the pre-season period but he has one big problem - playing in the same position as Jack Clarke. Sunderland look to be well aware of this and its notable that his last two appearances have seen him spend time either in the number ten or right wing position. If Clarke goes, and that remains a strong possibility, then Mundle is first in line for a big opportunity but Le Bris' decisions tell you that they know they might have to find another role for him.

Le Bris' wry smile - and possible selection hint

Can you leave Chris Rigg out of the side after a display like this? Le Bris smiled and said it was a good question, and a dilemma he was very happy to have. Alan Browne is expected to be fit for Burnley's visit this weekend and while Le Bris praised his exceptional midfield trio for this performance, he added that the demands of every game are different. Don't be surprised if Browne's experience gets him the nod for Burnley's visit but that shouldn't dishearten Rigg if it proves to be the case, his level is so high right now that he's certain to be involved in the game somewhere.