Tony Mowbray sets this challenge for his players and explains what Sunderland 'need to address'

Fears that the season could be fizzling out somewhat were allayed at least in part by a superb win away at Norwich City on Sunday, keeping the Black Cats just about in touch with the top six.

Mowbray is under no illusions as to the scale of the challenge facing a young squad still impacted significantly by injury as they prepare for three games against teams in the Championship top four - but will urge his side to play on the front foot and see where it takes them.

"Our next three games are against second, fourth and first in the league," Mowbray said.

"They're big tests and good challenges for us, I don't feel there's any pressure on us other than to give it everything we've got.

"I think we can go into the next ten games and attack and be positive. There's been a lot of good stuff gone on with this team and they've worked extremely hard, we want to be positive and play on the front foot and see how many wins we can get.

"The madness of this league is that if we were able to win on Wednesday and then against Luton, all of a sudden you've won three on the bounce and we could be sneaking right in on the cusp of the play-offs with seven games to go.

"That's what I'd like the team to try and achieve, to have flirted with the play-offs right until the end and create that excitement for the supporters. I think it's been a positive season for the club and to be in and around it, to even be discussing it, is a positive having come out of League One.

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"The other teams who did that are feeling what the division is about - it's good for our club not to be looking over our shoulder and thinking that if we win the next couple of games, we could make the season really exciting for our supporters."

Mowbray also says he is very aware of the need to improve his side's home form ahead of the visit of Sheffield United and Luton Town, and has hinted that it could mean tightening things up if only slightly.

"We'll take the confidence of going and winning away at Norwich into these games, and yet I'm very aware that we are in the bottom half for home form, and right up there away from home," he said.

"It's something we need to address moving forward, that balance, maybe we're a bit too expansive and leaving ourselves vulnerable. "And yet, a lot of the people I speak to who come to the games have enjoyed the brand of football. So we have to get the balance between winning games and scoring goals. Of course there's lots of different things in the equation, it's been a little unusual and stop-start this season in terms of losing Ross Stewart and Ellis Simms.

"I hope after 46 games we'll have accrued a good number of points and given a good account of ourselves."