Maguire thrilled by the adulation from SAFC fans

Chris Maguire is thriving under the pressure of playing for Sunderland having scored a superb late contender for October’s goal of the month.

In the run-up to the game Maguire, nicknamed ’The King’ by supporters, won the September award for his goal at Burton Albion.

And he followed that up with an even better 25-yard strike in the 3-0 win over Southend United.

Maguire was having a quiet game by his recent standards until his 53rd minute effort doubled Sunderland’s lead following skipper George Honeyman’s first half header.

Jack Ross joked after Maguire scored he’d told the fan favourite he had been thinking about bringing him off.

Asked if he was going to sub him prior to him scoring, Ross said: “No, though I told him I was just because it helps deflate his ego a wee bit!

“I was telling him where he was going to play as we were shifting him when Aiden McGeady came on but he was always staying on the pitch.

“He has that ability and technique, that has never been in doubt.

“He tries it often enough as well, it was reflective of how he feels at the moment. He feels good about himself and is enjoying the adulation. It brings its own pressure and expectation and he loves it.”

Sub McGeady scored Sunderland’s third with a fine finish ten minutes from time to seal the win.

Sunderland are now seven games unbeaten, having won their last four with three clean sheets on the spin.

Momentum is building on Wearside with third-placed Sunderland now just three points off leaders Portsmouth.

Ross said: “We recognised that it was important that we started to do that, put a run together, and it has turned a good solid start into a better one.

“We are still not where we want to be in terms of the league, we know that we have to keep churning these wins out.

“We had a platform to build on and we have built on that well, the players deserve the credit for that.”