Im-press-ive Sunderland round off a brilliant week
'Five minutes left, let's press them everywhere', was the call from the Sunderland dugout.
The game was won and the points secured, but Lee Johnson wanted a strong finish and every Burton Albion pass in the sequence that followed was greeted with a cry of' press '.
The call for more could be heard on the pitch, too.
Charlie Wyke's third had put the contest beyond doubt but Max Power was insisting that there were more goals out there for the Black Cats.
They almost found it, too. Jordan Jones drove once again into a dangerous area and at the end of the move only an outstanding save from Ben Garratt denied Chris Maguire from getting on the score sheet.
It felt like a good moment to take a step back and appreciate the level of performance that Johnson's side had delivered.
Even if Chris Coleman' s tenure looked to have been ignited on this ground four years ago, Burton have not been a side against which Sunderland have been able to enjoy too many happy memories.
It was Darren Bent's goal that condemned the Black Cats to the drop later that season and four meetings since then had yielded nothing better than a draw.
You could forgive Sunderland fans for fearing the stage was set for disappointment.
After all, this had been the most positive of weeks. A thumping win over Doncaster Rovers, a tense but rewarding win against Lincoln City, and at long last the confirmation of Kyril Louis-Dreyfus' takeover.
To fall short now would be, as the saying goes ,' typical Sunderland '.
Even in the early stages of his tenure, this was a theme that Johnson had noted. He described it as a capacity for 'self-sabotage', whereby the momentum is quickly disrupted just when things look to be turning.
Sometimes it's injury, sometimes poor performance. Sometimes it can be events out of anyone's control, such as a COVID outbreak on the back of a superb win at Lincoln, for example.
Johnson had good reason to be worried about this one, too.
Burton may be a shadow of the side who have troubled the Black Cats in recent times, but their form under Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is improving and their January business was strong.
They had enjoyed a full week on the training pitch while Sunderland battled their way through that nervy semifinal.
Sunderland, too, were forced into a change of system with both Bailey Wright and Callum McFadzean ruled out.
Of the back five, only two [Dion Sanderson and Jake Vokins] could really be said to be playing in a natural position.
All of this made the performance that followed an immensely impressive one.
The early goal was a significant boost, and a fine strike from Grant Leadbitter at that, but right through the first half Sunderland played with a poise and fluidity that threatened to overwhelm the hosts.
Hasselbaink cut an agitatedfigure in the Burton dug out, frustrated at the pressing from his front players and their inability to hold the ball up.
That was credit to the make shift back line, both in terms of their physicality and their composure on the ball.
Lynden Gooch was a revelation on the right, reminiscent of his performances in a similar role for Jack Ross in the early stage soft he 2018/19 season. When Sunderland moved it quickly they were able to find him in space and the home side struggled to cope with the speed of the movement.
Johnson had hinted that his side would be more 'total football' than 'counterpress', with players filling in at centre half, and what was encouragingwas how quickly the players seemed to have grasped their new roles.
Burton were fortunate to only be two behind at the break.
Hasselbaink was always likely to get a response from his side and fortune was without question with the visitors in the opening stage soft he second half.
Jonny Smith is a player Johnson knows well from his time in the youth set-up at Bristol City, and twice he struck the woodwork as he cut inside from the right.
On the second occasion, Ryan Broom managed to miss from barely a yard out.
Moments before, Josh Earl had been shown a second yellow card for an altercation with Aiden O'Brien as a loose ball ran out of play and in these moments any real prospect of a comeback was probably lost for Burton.
They were spirited, though, and it was noticeable through stages of the second half just how vocal Sunderland's players were as they tried to drive each other up the pitch.
After a difficult spell Sunderland finished the game in complete control, 'total football' on show as Luke O'Nien regularly drove out from the back.
Louis-Dreyfus' arrival allows Sunderland and Johnson to begin investing in 'key areas' for the long term, and in the short term they are beginning to find real rhythm on the pitch.
That though, is for us to get excited about.
For Johnson and his squad? “Onto the next one.”