After last weekend's breathless, free-flowing, end-to-end game at Fulham in the FA Cup, Sunderland's visit to Millwall presented a very different challenge. Physicality, aggression, and strength; it was a war of attrition at The Den.
And Tony Mowbray felt his young side side - average age 22.5 - stood up well to the test. "I think if you were preparing to play against us, I think that's how you would play," he said afterwards.
"I've managed teams against really technical football teams [like Sunderland] and if you stand off them and let them pass, it's a long day for you, so I have no problems with it."
