Victory over Portsmouth a massive statement in promotion push

In promotion seasons these are - by far - the ones that are the most important matches, when you’re not fully at your best and yet still grind out a narrow victory.

On Saturday, it wasn’t the prettiest game of football that Lee Johnson’s Sunderland have played all season, but it was the most impressive, in consideration to the way that they successfully adapted their style of football to their opposition.

Portsmouth love to disturb; it was shown in the reverse fixture in October. In adversity to the treacherous weather conditions, they threw Sunderland out of their shape and ultimately into a four-nil defeat.

In the opening stages on Saturday, yet again, Danny Cowley’s side looked to disrupt, both in a physical and mental manner.

The presence of Ronan Curtis added to that but Sunderland learned their lessons from their day in the rain on the south coast, and began to match their opponents and stamp their own authority onto the contest.

It may have taken a surge of energy from the crowd and a couple of thumping tackles from Corry Evans, Tom Flanagan and Danny Batth, but Sunderland got themselves moving and swiftly into their ever-effective pressing game.

It’s worked time and time again this season for the Black Cats, but it’s still as productive as ever, and worked to point against their southern visitors, as yet again leading from the front, Stewart spearheaded the hosts’ pressing game, followed close behind by Leon Dakaku and Elliot Embleton.

The match always felt like it would be decided upon a moment of individual brilliance or an individual error, and it proved to be the latter, as Dajaku forced the ball off Hayden Carter, before Stewart fed Embleton.

Against Wycombe, it was a 90+8th minute equaliser from Joe Jacobson, meanwhile last weekend, it was another late equaliser from Accrington Stanley to level the match – the 84th minute to be exact.

So, it was always going to be nervy heading into the latter stages of the contest, but Sunderland managed the second half extremely well, limiting the chances that Pompey had and looking to build upon their own attacking threat.

However, for Sunderland to keep hold of all three points was crucial and a massive statement.