Sunderland assistant manager Steve Parkin has revealed the key factor behind Chris Maguire's sparkling form for Sunderland in 2020.
The Black Cats forward was the matchwinner again on Saturday, with his late strike giving the home side a 1-0 win over promotion rivals Ipswich Town.
It was Maguire's fifth goal since Christmas and, while his ability has never been in doubt, he is now finding the consistency to make him one of the first names on the teamsheet.
Parkin was delighted to see the former Bury forward shine again, and insists it's Maguire's energy levels which have been the key factor.
"He's just got to play with energy," he said, speaking ahead of Sunderland's League One clash with Rochdale on Tuesday night.
"The one thing everyone is aware of is that he's a very talented footballer.
"The key thing for us that when his running stats are right up there, that's when he's at his very best.
"We've had several games this season where he's covered a lot of ground in terms of sprints and overall. When he's up there and doing that he's a very talented footballer."
Sunderland are one of the in-form sides in the division, with only league leaders Rotherham collecting more points than the Black Cats since Christmas.
And Parkin feels that momentum could be crucial as we approach this vital part of the campaign.
"We're getting towards the business end of the season and every game is a vital one," he added.
"It starts again tomorrow night. We have to put Saturday to one side.
"There are a lot of good teams in this division who are picking up points and we have to continue in the race."
