SAFC 2 Forest 0 - Mick's comments

Mick McCarthy couldn't hide his delight this evening at back-to-back emphatics wins for Sunderland, moving the team from 15th in The Championship, to eighth.

He said, "We backed up a very good performance on Saturday with another good one. Two wins makes a huge difference. The table looks better and there's a better feeling around the place. In and around the place everyone feels a lot better.

But he didn't deny that the team's disappointing start to the season had affected morale within the side.

"There was a little air of despondancy. Not within the training ground but I could feel it; I could sense it creeping in when we didn't start well.

"We've been far more solid as a unit in the last two games. If you are solid at the back it gives you a springboard.

"It's extremely difficult if you are conceding goals all the time - especially early on. It was important we believed in ourselves and that result on Saturday was important. Had we not won on Saturday it would have been extremely difficult for us today."