Michael Beale explains what encouraged him most about Sunderland win - and praises 'fantastic' fans

Michael Beale thanked Sunderland fans for their backing as they returned to winning ways against Stoke City, and said he saw signs that the players are beginning to take on his messages from the training ground.

Both sides had big chances in a very open game, but Sunderland ran out out 3-1 winners thanks to goals from Mason Burstow, Abdoullah Ba and Pierre Ekwah. Beale said his side have much they can still improve but says he was pleased with them trying to be more direct and bold in the final third.

"I'm delighted with the players and for them," Beale said.

"Lots of individual things like Mason scoring his first goal. The work ethic of the boys and togetherness behind the scenes, it's been a difficult few weeks with the last two or three results, but it was a really good win today.

"It's been an interesting start to my time at the club, hasn't it. There's a lot of emotion. I'm all in for the club. I want to be here for the long-term and it's important that my team and our team go on the pitch and put in performances that the fans can get behind. Today they did, but it's just one performance and want to build on it. The fans were fantastic today. They have been home and away since I came here. They were fantastic today getting behind the team, the players energised the fans and that made it difficult for Stoke.

"We knew we'd get moments, three vs three, four vs three, and that's ultimately what won us the game. We've had big issues at times this season, certainly in the time since I've been here, with being too slow in possession. We need to run forward more, commit more bodies and make more crosses, run behind a little earlier. We've been speaking about that and at times today, our last pass probably let us down and we were a bit too eager. But I've been asking the players to play faster football and remind ourselves what we are at our best. Overall, I think we can be pleased with that performance."

Beale said it had been a difficult two weeks, heightened by Alex Pritchard's withdrawal from the squad, but hoped the win was the start of better times ahead.

"It's been difficult. I came into the club on my own so it's not like there are loads of people from the past who I can lean on.

"The staff and the players have been fantastic. It's important I focus on that. There's a lot of things I think this group can do. It's never easy. You come in and want things to go well, it's never easy to face the speculation or to have the focus purely on me like it has been. I hope it goes back onto the players now, they were fantastic today and so were the fans. I can't fault the fans at all, they get behind the team. Look at the amount of fans we had in the stadium today. It hasn't been easy but tonight will feel better for everyone."