The remarkable numbers behind Sunderland's brilliant late-goal habit under Alex Neil

One would be the significant improvements to the club's defensive record, which was again on show at least in part against the top scoring side in the division on Saturday afternoon, even if Anthony Patterson was forced into an outstanding second-half save from Ciaron Brown.

That was also a game which pointed to another area in which this Sunderland side have changed significantly: scoring late goals.Elliot Embleton's 89th-minute winner may yet prove to be the most significant one yet, stretching Sunderland's advantage over Oxford to four points having played one game less.

It was also the eighth goal scored after the 80th minute in Neil's ten games in charge.

The significance of those strikes cannot be underestimated, earning nine points without which Sunderland would already be all but consigned to a fifth season in the third tier.

Against Burton Albion Ross Stewart's stoppage-time header earned his side a late point, before Luke O'Nien and Jack Clarke's late goals turned a potentially damaging draw against Fleetwood Town into a win.

Days later Dan Neil and Patrick Roberts would score two late goals to edge their side past Crewe, before Nathan Broadhead and Embleton's key contributions over the last week.

Contrast that to Sunderland's record previous to Neil's arrival. In 31 league games they scored just five goals in the last ten minutes of league games, and only against Ipswich Town at the Stadium of Light did any of those strikes positively impact the result of the game.

That was of course in part due to Sunderland's strong record on home turf through the opening months of the season, where they dropped points on only three occasions under Lee Johnson and so were generally leading heading into the closing stages.

Generally, though, it speaks to an improving resilience and growing belief within the Sunderland side, particularly on the road where they are now significantly more difficult to play through for opponents.

"What you want to see from your team is a reflection of yourself, and in recent weeks the resilience I like to think I had as a player and a person, you can see on the pitch," Neil said after Saturday's win.

"All credit to my players for that. That doesn't come easily, you can see that never-say-die attitude and that takes you a long, long way."

The improving record also speaks to Neil's excellent record in deploying his substitutes effectively, on Saturday bringing on Danny Batth to alter his side's shape and help change the flow of the game before Embleton's introduction.

Of those eight goals scored after the 80th minute in Neil's tenure, four have been scored and three assisted by substitutes.

After Broadhead's late winner against Gillingham Neil joked that the game had 'taken ten years off his life', and undoubtedly he will be hoping on home turf in particular his side can make key breakthroughs earlier in games.

As the pressure rises, though, Sunderland's growing belief that they can win no matter how long is left is proving to be a major asset.