Phil Smith's Sunderland verdict: How Tony Mowbray's pre-match message was vindicated in crucial win

For a few minutes there, it all got a little bit nervy. 

Sunderland had dominated possession, created the better of the early chances and even struck the woodwork as Jack Clarke danced his way into the heart of the box. And yet here they were, behind again.

Though the goal was a controversial one, Tony Mowbray made it fairly clear afterwards that from his perspective the issue was with his side. Pierre Ekwah left the ball running free because the intended target of the pass was yards offside. The issue was that the full back who galloped onto the ball was not and by the time the Black Cats became alert to the danger, it was already too late. 

This is an inexperienced side and here was another painful lesson and more pertinently for Mowbray, a major test. He had insisted that there should be no major concern about his side’s direction of travel despite their three defeats, even going so far in his pre-match press conference to say that he was confident they would be in the play-off picture come the end of the season.

The head coach had therefore made a conscious decision not to dwell on the negatives or the mistakes in his pre-match analysis and messages. The clips Sunderland’s players were shown were mostly of wide players breaking past defenders, the moments where they were able to pack the box with bodies. 

Leicester City’s head coach had described their clash with Sunderland in midweek as their toughest of the campaign yet and the Black Cats had been left encouraged by that verdict. There were echoes of the trip to Fulham in the FA Cup at the start of this year, another game in which Sunderland didn't quite get the win but came away with the belief that they could compete with sides of Premier League quality. Most importantly, with the belief that they could do so playing their way. 

Mowbray was heartened, then, to see his side keep doing their thing even after Norwich’s opener against the run of play.

David Wagner said afterwards that he felt individual mistakes were the cause of his side’s defeat, and that his counter attacking strategy had been proven to be the right one in the chances created. This was certainly another head coach deploying a familiar template at the Stadium of Light, pressing not high up the pitch but instead in a midblock, trying to quickly play the ball over the top and out wide in the rare moments Sunderland ceded possession. There were some good moments for the visitors, with Christian Fassnacht blazing over shortly after the opener and Hwang Ui-Jo doing the same in the second half when the option was there to play in a team mate inside the box. 

That Sunderland were for the most part much the better side was not in doubt, all the same. 

Throughout they carved out good openings against the low block, and even if there was some fortune in Trai Hume’s equaliser, that was deserved. Basic logic suggests that if you pin the opposition back in their own box, your chances of a deflection are significantly increased. And the second goal was sheer quality, the assist for Jack Clarke fair reward for his relentless probing out on the left flank. The delicate finish from Dan Neil was an effort worthy of the assist. 

There were moments of jeopardy through the game but in the end Sunderland looked every inch the play-off contender Mowbray has insisted they remained through the recent run of poor results. They looked a good distance ahead of Norwich City, who seemingly have big decisions to make in the weeks ahead as Wagner faced questions over his future in his post-match press conference.

Sunderland looked to be in a decent place in terms of the structure and the balance of their side and Clarke has stepped up as the difference maker in much the same way Amad was able to last season.

If there was one frustration for Mowbray and Sunderland it was that the search for a goal from a recognised striker still goes on. Luis Hemir missed a glorious opening in the final moments of this game, though it was encouraging to see the striker far more involved than he has been in recent cameos. If there was one notable aspect of this late passage of play, it was the ease with which fellow substitute Chris Rigg glided away from his opposite numbers in midfield - the 16-year-old is already progressing rapidly as a player.

There was no goal for Nazariy Rusyn, either, though generally his full debut felt like a positive step forward.

Rusyn is finding the language barrier an understandably difficult hurdle to clear but Mowbrya felt that after plenty of U21 and training minutes, it was time to introduce what was by Sunderland’s standards a significant summer signing. He also felt that it was time to give Mason Burstow a break, the striker a willing and impressive runner during his loan spell so far but a player clearly lacking confidence in the box.

Rusyn was lovely, pressing well and making some good runs in behind the Norwich defence. Mowbray made the decision earlier in the week to introduce him, leaning on Ukrainian U21 player Timur Tuterov to help translate and get across key tactical messages. Mowbray hinted that Rusyn will get another chance to start at Swansea City next weekend in a bid to let him build on this relatively encouraging effort. 

He will hope that his side can do the same, now firmly back on track after that recent frustration.