Sunderland's Luke O'Nien gives honest verdict on West Brom penalty after tackle on John Swift

O’Nien was penalised on the stroke of half-time when he collided with Baggies playmaker John Swift, who subsequently converted from the spot to put the hosts ahead at The Hawthorns.

Despite the setback, Sunderland produced an impressive second-half response as two goals from Dennis Cirkin gave them a 2-1 win, moving Tony Mowbray’s side into the Championship play-off places with two games remaining.

It was an emotional weekend for O’Nien, whose wife gave birth to his second child, meaning the 28-year-old didn’t arrive at the team hotel until the early hours of Sunday morning.

When asked about the penalty incident, O’Nien told Sky Sports: “Listen, I’m annoyed at myself because I gave a decision for him to make.

“I don’t think it was a penalty but I watch it back and I’ve got to hold my hands up, I gave the opportunity to give it. I didn’t think it was a pen but it’s in the past.

“As soon as that happens we’ve got to just regroup, we’ve got to go again and listen, the way we played in that second half, bodies on the line, scoring down the other end. Every single man, the people that came on, I'm just so proud of the boys and have just got so much emotion in me and it’s all happiness.”

On the birth of his son Jude, O’Nien added: "Congratulations to my wife, we had our little one. I don’t know what day it is today. I was just thinking of her, my little man at home, my family.

"There was kind of a tear in my eye at full-time, kind of just through being a bit tired.

"Ali the goalie coach drove me down and I can’t thank him enough for that. He said ‘whatever you need.’

“To my wife at home, and my little boy and my little girl, those guys are just everything to me so that’s all for them.”