Jack Ross reveals what he told 'enigma' hat-trick hero Chris Maguire and what the Sunderland forward has been working on

Maguire’s goals helped extend the winning run to four games, with Sunderland now fourth and joint top of League One.

Ross said: “Chris can be a little bit of an enigma at times but he has real quality about his play and with the quality he has, he should always be in my team.

“I speak a lot about it to him, and tell him he needs to do the other side of the game as well - and in fairness to him, he has been doing that side of it really well just recently.

“And when he is doing that other side of the game well, that is when he produces his best quality.

“I’m delighted for him, I think he had only scored one hat-trick previously when he was younger, and he enjoyed it which was important.”

Sunderland extended their winning run to four games in all competitions with the 3-1 win at the Stadium of Light in front of the watching prospective American investors.

Reflecting on an important three points, Ross said: “We spoke beforehand to the players about the importance of continuing this momentum that we have built up and when you are playing at home, it gives you a good chance of doing that.

“Winning the game was what mattered but doing it in the way that we did was very pleasing, it could have been more emphatic in terms of the scoreline but I was pleased with the overall performance.

“I’m pleased for the players. The only times when I am critical of them I am critical openly - the first half against Ipswich this season, and the Southend game last season.

“But for the last 13 months they have given me everything and they did that again and they played well.

“They were really effective and relentless in trying to create and win the game.

“If anything, they were a bit frustrated that they didn’t score more goals.”