The new signing in the stands and a crucial late run: The moments you probably missed in Sunderland 1-0 Crewe

We take a look at some of the moments you might have missed from the win at the Stadium of Light – from crucial runs to telling shouts:

THE NEW SIGNING IN THE STAND

Given Sunderland’s lack of depth at the back, many expected deadline day signing Dion Sanderson to form part of the match day squad – even if that would more than likely be via a place on the bench.

But the timely return of Tom Flanagan, coupled with a desire to give the Wolves youngster more time to acclimatise to his new surroundings, saw him miss out on that spot among the substitutes.

Prior to the game, Sanderson had only trained once with his new teammates – having reported for duty at the Academy of Light on Monday – so this was perhaps a wise move, particularly when a tried and tested option in Flanagan was available to deputise.

Sanderson did get his first taste of the Stadium of Light on Tuesday evening, however, as he watched on from the stands.

It was perhaps telling, too, that Sanderson was accompanied in the stands by young defender Oliver Younger. The former Burnley man has trained regularly with the first-team in recent weeks and now looks to be a player very much welcomed into the senior fold by Phil Parkinson.

THE AREA CREWE LOOKED TO EXPLOIT

While Sunderland may have made them look fairly ordinary in a dominant display, it’s worth remembering that Crewe are a good footballing side.

They started to show a little bit more of their signature brand of football in the second half, and you would back them to raise a few eyebrows as the League One season continues.

What was interesting about their approach at Sunderland, though, was just how much they focused play down the Black Cats’ left flank.

It’s not the first time we have seen teams opt for this approach this season – perhaps feeling they can exploit the space left in behind when Denver Hume embarks on his forays forward.

Sunderland, to their credit, dealt with this well. There was only one fleeting moment, early in the first-half, where Daniel Powell found a pocket of space on this flank and cut inside – forcing Luke O’Nien to slide in and block his shot.

THE TELLING MAX POWER SHOUT

‘Come on lads, get the goal before the break. It’s coming.’

That was the shout of Max Power as we entered injury time at the end of the first half and, within seconds, Sunderland had indeed got the goal their fine play merited.

The Sunderland skipper was vocal throughout the contest, encouraging his side and driving them forward, but this shout was particularly telling.

Watch football at any level and you’ll see teams switch off in the final minute of the first half, content just to play out the minimal amount of injury time before retreating back to the warmth of the dressing room.

But not on Power’s watch.

Sunderland had Crewe on the ropes and were playing with a real intensity, pinning back their visitors and peppering the box with fine deliveries from the wide areas.

It seemed only a matter of time until one of these resulted in a goal – as was the case on the stroke of half-time as Luke Offord turned the ball into his own goal.

That was credit to Sunderland’s desire not to let the intensity drop, a message reinforced by their captain.

WYKE’S WORK RATE

Charlie Wyke has come in for his fair share of criticism in recent weeks, but his last two performances have been perhaps his best in a Sunderland shirt.

While the visit of Crewe didn’t yield a second league goal of the campaign for the striker, Wyke’s display showed exactly why Phil Parkinson has shown such faith in him.

He won his headers, linked up play well and created chances for those around him while also ensuring he pressed the Crewe backline – a strategy which almost paid dividends when he pinched the ball from visiting goalkeeper Will Jaaskelainen out wide, only to then be promptly brought down.

One standout moment from the striker came in the first-half where he cleverly played in Power, who saw a powerful shot then repelled. It’s the kind of quick-thinking and creativity that has perhaps been lacking in the forward areas in recent weeks.

If Wyke can replicate that kind of performance on a regular basis then Sunderland supporters will undoubtedly be appreciative of his efforts, even if the goals don’t flow freely.

THE CRUCIAL LATE RUN

It spoke volumes about the strength of Sunderland’s defensive effort that the back five looked far from makeshift as they kept yet another clean sheet.

While Bailey Wright was once again imperious at the centre of the back three, credit must go to Luke O’Nien for another excellent display.

Commanding, composed and confident on the left of the three, O’Nien’s reading of the game was near-perfect and he stepped in and won possession – breaking up Crewe attacks – on countless occasions.

One particular moment of quality came late on. With Sunderland under a little bit of pressure, O’Nien broke up play before driving over the halfway line and winning a free-kick.

It’s the kind of act that would have warranted a cheer as loud as a goal were the Stadium of Light packed to the rafters, and allowed Sunderland to play down the clock in the final stages.

Parkinson now faces a major decision ahead of the visit of Portsmouth. With defensive options returning, is O’Nien returned to his usual spot on the right flank or will he continue in the back three?

It will be an interesting dilemma to ponder ahead of Saturday.

A message from the Football Clubs Editor:

Hi, our aim is to provide you with the best, most up-to-date and most informative coverage of YOUR club every single day, home and away, 365 days a year.

This depth of SAFC coverage costs, so to help us maintain the high-quality reporting that you are used to from the football team at the Sunderland Echo, please consider taking out a subscription to our new sports-only package.

You'll find all the details at sunderlandecho.com/subscriptions/sports.

Your support is much appreciated.

Richard Mennear, Football Clubs Editor