Tony Mowbray delivers honest verdict on his first Sunderland win - and what he told his new players

Mowbray took training for the first time on Tuesday and so unsurprisingly opted not to tinker with the 3-5-2 system and the key personnel who have made a solid start to the season under Alex Neil.

The new head coach was rewarded with an excellent performance, with Jack Clarke and Ross Stewart combining three times in a second-half blitz to seal the three points.

Mowbray said it was testament to the work fo the coaching staff who had preceded him.

“I didn't do much tonight, to be honest,” Mowbray said.

“It's down to the coaches who have been working with the team the last few weeks, they've got the team really well organised.

“I talk to them and tell them little bits about the game and what I like about football, but a lot of the credit goes to the coaches.

“We are delighted, it's still very, very early in the season and I don't even look at the table at this stage.

“It was a great performance, when you're at a ground like this, your main stomach feeling is for the fans. You want the team to perform, to entertain, whizz it across goal and gets shot away, get these fans having a good night and enjoying their football.

“They haven't lost a league game this season, so it's a really solid performance.

“We've got some really talented players and I'm looking forward to working with them.

“I've said to the staff, if it's not broken don't try and fix it. I was very conscious that.. I watched the first half of the Norwich game and I thought Sunderland were amazing. I've said to them the last few days, you've set your standard there. I know how difficult Norwich are from my Blackburn days, what a good Championship team they are. We suffocated them in the first half, didn't let them breathe.

“I asked for more of the same tonight, against a team who plays a bit more direct, down the channels. We had to be a bit cleverer because of that and our ball retention was very good.

“I'm very pleased with all of them.”

Mowbray praised Clarke for his outstanding performance, with his superb solo goal following his two assists for team-mate Stewart."It's huge credit to Jack that he's playing left wing back as a right-footed winger,” Mowbray said.

"He deserves huge credit.

“You see him sprinting back in front of me to help out, he's got a brilliant engine. He just needs someone to tell him how he good he is and love him - what a talent.

“Hopefully this is the home where he can flourish. Let's hope he becomes a really important player for us.

"Huge credit to the owners, they are investing in young talent. Fast, agile, clever footballers.

"At the right moment, when you introduce them in the right moment of the game when maybe the physicality has gone out a little bit, they will hopefully light up the league.”