Sky Sports EFL pundits and former Premier League stars Jobi McAnuff and Robert Earnshaw have praised Sunderland's defensive efforts in their 1-0 win over Norwich at Carrow Road this afternoon.
Abdoullah Ba, who came into Tony Mowbray's starting XI following the injury to Amad Diallo, found the opening goal after just 15 minutes with his first goal for the club as his effort from outside the box beat Angus Gunn to his far corner.
While the win doesn't move the Black Cats up the table at all, it does put them just five points back from the playoff places and McAnuff hopes it'll put the torrid 5-1 loss to Stoke City earlier last weekend behind them.
READ MORE: Norwich City 0-1 Sunderland: Highlights and reaction as Ba's goal gives Black Cats crucial victory
"A fantastic away performance, I thought they showed good energy and an ability to get forward at times, even though they clearly didn't have too much of the ball," McAnuff said on Sky Sports after the match.
"I still thought they defended extremely well whenever they had to, and I thought, for me, they limited Norwich to very few clear-cut opportunities. That's a really good display, particularly coming off that really disappointing one last time out [against Stoke]."
Earnshaw then highlighted Black Cats defensive trio Danny Batth, Daniel Ballard and Luke O'Nien as the side's standout players and praised their closing-down in important moments throughout the match.
"Yeah, he [Batth] was excellent, him and [Daniel] Ballard and Luke O'Nien as well. Lots of really good performances and this epitomises that when Norwich get the ball on the edge of the box here.
"Look at how many bodies are flying in, blocking the ball, defending, stopping the next action for Norwich. Excellent performance and work rate from Sunderland, and they come out of it with a great win as well."
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