Phil Smith: I watched Sunderland's crucial win over Crystal Palace and these were my key conclusions

Sunderland secured a crucial Premier League win on Saturday as they came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 2-1.

Phil Smith was there reporting for the Sunderland Echo and these were his key conclusions....

Sunderland show more signs of progress with dominant second-half display

Sunderland's status as one of the Premier League's biggest statistical outliers meant there were many who were predicting they would fall away and perhaps even quite dramatically in the second half of the season.

While it has always seemed an extreme assessment to those who watch the team every week and see both its quality and its mentality, you could also see how the scenario could unfold - at least to an extent. That with safety all but secure the adrenaline that has powered the outstanding first stretch of the season would dip a little, and that for a team which can struggle to create and relies on defending its box ferociously, the results could then ebb away. What this analysis misses, even if there is no doubt that Sunderland are not yet at this level a top attacking team, is that there are clear signs that things are beginning to change a little. It has been an up and down month or so amidst a lengthy list of absentees but there is evidence that Sunderland are improving steadily from open play, building more threats and becoming less reliant on set plays. They went to Brighton before Christmas and though the hosts ended the game on top, controlled large spells of the first hour in possession rather than in a low block. They rattled Spurs in a confident second-half showing that could have sealed a win, and have controlled the majority of their last two fixtures with the ball rather than without it. Brian Brobbey is improving rapidly, giving his side a focal point to get up the pitch. Enzo Le Fée is playing like a top-half Premier League number ten, while the full backs are steadily beginning to become more and more involved in the final third. Sunderland ended this game with an XG of around 1.72, with Crystal Palace's down at 0.61. The game may well have looked very different had the visitors taken another of their good first half chances, a phase in the game where Sunderland did a lot of good work but did look vulnerable to the counter and particularly when Palace played early into the impressive Jean-Phillipe Mateta. Sunderland got to grips with that in the second half, though, controlled and mature in their performance thereafter.

None of this is to say that Sunderland have cracked it, far from it. They need more from their wide players and it's clear that to establish themselves fully at this level they need to keep improving in the final third. It's just to say that at a point where many assumed Sunderland would begin to fall away, they've instead given their season a real shot of energy and momentum. The conventional wisdom was that results couldn't be sustainable but that argument didn't account for the possibility of the Black Cats getting better. With a team gaining more experience of the level and a tactically very astute head coach, why can't that be the case? It's an optimistic reading but this second half showing warrants that view.

The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC Channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates direct to your phone. Simply click this link to join our SAFC WhatsApp channel.

Oliver Glasner edges towards Crystal Palace exit in extraordinary post-match press conference

Oliver Glasner took a brief pause after praising the team for their performance in the first hour, before launching into a quite extraordinary tirade about the decisions of his club hierarchy and specifically the decision to sanction the sale of Marc Guehi the day before this game. It was one of the most spectacular press conferences the Stadium of Light has seen and a reminder of just how punishing this division can be. Crystal Palace were FA Cup winners last season, widely and rightly praised for their distinctive playing style under the impressive Glasner and their ability to keep developing talent.

Their defeat at Sunderland, in which Glasner pointedly did not make a single substitution in the second half, extended their winless run in the Premier League to ten games. Le Bris used that in his pre-match press conference to send a message: this can happen to anyone. The brutal reality is that outside the established elite, every club at this level has to be a selling club and particularly if your other revenues are not huge. Perhaps this fall out underlines the importance of being in a position where sales do not happen in a flurry. Sunderland's contract management should prevent that as they are in an exceptionally strong position, but Palace demonstrate why you simply have to sell at the right time - if you don't the players won't sign long-term deals and the club quickly loses power as contracts run down.

Brian Brobbey gamble is starting to pay real dividends

After a busy and at times chaotic deadline day, Kristjaan Speakman outlined how Brian Brobbey's availability had been key to Sunderland's decision not to cause problems for Chelsea as they looked to recall Marc Guiu. Brobbey, Speakman said, was a player for the now but also for the future. A few months down the line, it looks an inspired decision to invest in Brobbey when his stock had fallen off the back of a difficult season with Ajax. Sunderland looked past that, saw the obvious attributes and the generally good goalscoring record in the other years of still early career. £20 million is a lot of money by anyone's measurement but for a Premier League striker, it's not eye-watering by any stretch of the imagination. This tireless display, capped by a very good finish to seal the points, is starting to look like something of a bargain.

Eliezer Mayenda shows more promise in late cameo

Le Bris's decision to bring Mayenda on as Brobbey finally reached the point of exhaustion confirmed that for the time being, the youngster had just nudged ahead of Wilson Isidor as the Frenchman works to recapture his best form. Mayenda drew a brilliant save from Dean Henderson in the closing moments, with echoes of his assist against Everton a week previous as he did well to hold off a number of defenders in the box with back to goal. Mayenda looked lively, showed a good touch and held the ball up well on occasions. There will be frustration from his perspective that he can't find the goal which will truly underline is arrival at this level but he is looking increasingly comfortable with every appearance.

Your next Sunderland read: Régis Le Bris reacts to Jocelin Ta Bi signing and clarifies winger's injury situation