A mid-season World Cup break was a voyage into unknown territory for Sunderland - in fact, for English football as a whole. After earning a hard-fought win at Birmingham City last month, would the pause stop the Black Cats' momentum in its tracks?
Or would it allow time to regroup and give injured players opportunity to recover before the restart against Millwall? It was a question that hung in the air during the three-week hiatus, and it was one that no-one could answer until the Championship season started up again.
But now we know. Sunderland essentially picked up where they left off, defeating Millwall on Wearside to complete their first back-to-back wins of the season.
READ MORE: Tony Mowbray explains his decision to leave Ross Stewart out against Millwall
It was far from a perfect performance, with the Black Cats second-best all over the pitch in the first half, but once they had blown off the cobwebs they raised their game after the break and in the end cantered to a 3-0 win - although that scoreline perhaps flattered them just a little. Tony Mowbray admitted as much afterwards, saying he was unhappy at half-time and that even in the second period the game never felt as comfortable as the scorebard suggested.
Mowbray had taken his squad to Dubai for a warm-weather training camp during the break and their first-half display looked a little like a pre-season outing, with Millwall looking sharper, winning virtually every 50-50 and seeming a yard quicker. Corry Evans made a brilliant block to deny Sunderland academy graduate George Honeyman a shot on goal, the excellent Danny Batth cleared just in front of the line after Anthony Patterson found himself stranded in no-man's land as Tom Bradshaw looped a header at goal, and then Patterson had a lucky escape when he passed straight to Zian Flemming on the edge of the box but the Dutchman somehow missed the target when he had almost the entire goal to aim at.
Sunderland had to improve in the second half and they did. Man-of-the-moment Amad continued his hot streak as the on-loan Manchester United winger scored his fourth goal in six games.
Midfielder Dan Neil had a quiet game overall, but was in the right place at the right time to head off the line when Flemming headed a corner goalwards. But within minutes Alex Pritchard had doubled Sunderland's lead, although Lions' keeper George Long should have saved his effort.
And Ellis Simms wrapped things up in injury time with a goal Millwall boss Gary Rowett labelled 'a joke', as Patterson's long clearance was misjudged by Charlie Cresswell allowing Simms to run through and lift the ball over the advancing Long, before tapping into the empty net. Three points, three goals, and a clean sheet meant it was job done for Sunderland.
They have now played 21 games - the same number as the majority of their rivals - and the league table now better reflects the state of play. The Black Cats had gone into the game in 15th place, four points above the relegation zone, but by full time they had climbed to tenth and were just a single point outside the play-off places.
Equally important, Mowbray was able to bring fit-again Lynden Gooch and Aji Alese back into his starting line-up after they had been missing for almost a month prior to the break. And Dennis Cirkin made his comeback from a calf injury from the bench, while five-goal joint-top scorer Ross Stewart is expected to be in contention for the next game at home to West Bromwich Albion next Monday having been out of action since the end of August.
As the season approaches its midway point, things are looking up.
READ NEXT:
- Gary Rowett says Millwall 'gifted' Sunderland goals as his side were well-beaten on Wearside
- Tony Mowbray admits Sunderland's win against Millwall felt less comfortable than scoreline suggested
- O'Nien and Amad impress against the Lions: Sunderland 3-0 Millwall player ratings
- Sunderland 3-0 Millwall report as Black Cats resume campaign and move into Championship top ten
- Sunderland's home game against Middlesbrough next month moved for live TV coverage
