Tony Mowbray makes an honest squad admission as he outlines the challenge ahead for Sunderland

His side had again gone toe-to-toe with Premier League opposition and they had again matched them for large spells of the game.

Their exit was a result of a slow start, some slack defending, having no striker in the six-yard box and very obviously, the fact that they played against a high-calibre opponent.

But in defeat they had again shown their talent and their bravery, and also their character.

It gives Mowbray belief that they can be competitive week in, week out until season end, though he also knows that the group he is working with are going to have difficult moments purely based on a lack of numbers.

"We've got to get through these last 17 league games with a pretty thin squad, and there will be days where people have to play out of position," Mowbray said.

"That was the case for us tonight, we had to bring Dan Neil off because if he gets injured, who plays holding midfield? We needed to look after him, Patrick Roberts, because they're really important players for us.

"We’ve got some good players. I’ve said that over the course of the season. This window was a bit frustrating on the last day, but we’ve got some really talented players and the recruitment department deserves huge credit. To have Patrick Roberts, Jack Clarke and Amad Diallo at this football club is a huge credit. Aji Alese, Dennis Cirkin – some really super young players.

"If we can keep that [adding talent] over the next few windows, then we’re going to be a strong team that will have an ambition of getting out of this league.

"With 17 games to go, we have an ambition still because we’re in touching distance, but the reality is that we’re very short on numbers and do not have a deep squad. I think you’re going to have to go into the squad with these games because in the next couple of weeks, we have midweek matches. We’ve got to go Saturday-Tuesday.

"The effort and work ethic you’ve seen from that team tonight, they’ve got to reproduce that every three days for the next three or four weeks, and it’s not easy."

Mowbray is clearly torn when he's talking about his team - eager not to give a talented squad excuses but also mindful of the reality they face in a challenging league.

"It’s a learning curve," he added.

"I spoke with the owner the other day for a good 45 minutes and we’re on a journey - we’ve come out of League One.

"As long as the fans can see a team that’s fighting, and they feel as though we’re going in the right direction, then hopefully they’ll be happy. We’re trying to get there week by week, and there’s going to be some dips along the way, especially if you’re asking the same players to hit the same sort of intensity levels.

"I’m very conscious of trying to lose the narrative that we’re a young team. I think they’re good enough. You can see that. It doesn’t matter whether you’re 20 or 30 – if you can compete and you can run, pass, shoot and tackle, then you’re good enough. Our ambition is to be competitive in every game.

"I think tonight was always a big ask without a recognised striker, and we were all disappointed on deadline day that we didn’t manage to get a number nine over the line. I still think they’re exciting though. I still love it when Roberts pops it around the corner and Diallo backflicks one to Abdoullah, who slides the full-back in, who crosses it and okay there’s no one in the middle and we don’t score, but I think the team is exciting and I hope the fans like watching them play, run and compete.

"That’s all we can ask at the moment. We’re on a journey to get to where this club needs to get back to, but it might take a bit of time while we get another transfer window and another transfer window.

"Somewhere down the line, the club will be rammed full of really good players and it won’t matter which ones we pick – we’ll be too good for some teams in the Championship. But at this moment, we’re working really hard to compete."

That contradiction was evident as he reflected on the FA Cup exit. He was proud of his side's efforts, yet frustrated they couldn't quite get over the line.

“At the moment, I’m disappointed, and I think they’re all disappointed too," he said.

"I think there was an opportunity there. I felt even at 1-0 down in the first half that we could get the next goal, and if we did that, I felt they would rock. I could see us nicking it. Obviously we didn’t, they got the next goal, but we fought back. We were always just a step behind them.

"They are a wonderful team to watch. I love the way they play and how brave they are. Tom Cairney can’t get in their Premier League starting team, yet what a footballer. It was a great game for Dan Neil. He’s playing someone with power, quality, bravery and a great left foot – what a footballer. What a challenge for a 20-year-old kid who’s got to test himself. I think Dan is going to have a lot of years in the Premier League, hopefully with Sunderland."