Here are the main talking points from the game:
WINNING RESPONSE
Back to winning ways. And after a run of just two victories in six games, and on the back of the worst performance of the campaign at Coventry before the break, this was a win that felt important for Sunderland.
Not necessarily in terms of standings. It’s now accepted that anything other than a fourth-place finish for Regis Le Bris’ side is extremely unlikely. But more for mood and momentum. Sunderland don’t want to stutter over the line. And while this wasn’t the most polished or emphatic victory by any means, it was professional, sealed by Trai Hume’s first half strike. The clean sheet was overdue and welcome.
And there were some other promising signs: Patrick Roberts and Romaine Mundle both impressed on the flanks and Chris Rigg’s battery looked to have been recharged.
Le Bris talked about the importance of resilience this week and Sunderland bounced with three points.
MORE PENALTY WOE
Sunderland will be hoping to avoid a penalty shoot-out in the play-offs. After Wilson Isidor’s double miss at Burnley, Luke O’Nien missed late on against Millwall.
Le Bris said after that Burnley game he would let his players decide who would step up the next time the Black Cats won a penalty, but O’Nien was a surprise taker. And it was a poor penalty.
Mundle, who won the spot-kick, wasn’t happy that he wasn’t taking it. And Isidor, despite his Turf Moor pain, could have done with a goal. It’s now six appearances without hitting the net for the striker, who missed an early opportunity.
Thankfully for Sunderland, O’Nien’s miss wasn’t costly – thanks to his defensive partner. The immense Chris Mepham made a superb goal-saving block deep in stoppage time.
Sunderland need an allocated penalty taker.
LE BRIS’ DEFENSIVE ANSWER
Given Joe Anderson has played just 40 minutes of Championship football for Sunderland, and hasn’t kicked a ball in the league this season, it came as no surprise that the former Everton youngster didn’t get the nod against Millwall, despite Sunderland’s defensive problems.
Instead, Le Bris called on experience and turned to Alan Browne, who dropped in to cover at right-back with Trai Hume shifting to the left.
After a string of setbacks, what a boost it was this week when Le Bris confirmed Hume would be able to keep playing through the discomfort for Sunderland after his early return from Northern Ireland. The full-back has been battling a niggling hip problem for a number of weeks but it hasn’t stopped him being one of Sunderland’s most consistent performers this season and it didn’t stop him from volleying in the opening goal on the 20-minute mark.
Moving a midfielder to right-back is never ideal but Browne was rock solid and a clean sheet – just a second in 11 games – will delight Le Bris. Leo Hjelde is expected to be back for next week’s West Brom trip, where Sunderland’s defence will almost certainly be tested more than they were on Saturday afternoon.
THE WAY IT PLAYED OUT
Sunderland started like a team intent on righting the wrongs of the Coventry defeat and had THREE chances inside the opening 60 seconds.
Isidor and Jobe Bellingham were both denied before Rigg had a header saved. Patrick Roberts then lashed a shot just wide soon after. Roberts looked revitalised after the international break and was Sunderland’s brightest player. He played a starring role in the opening goal, a wonderfully worked set-piece routine. The winger lofted in a perfectly weighted cross that Hume hammered home. Sunderland couldn’t maintain their early tempo but were rarely troubled at the back in the first half.
Ideally, the second would have been more comfortable, but the Black Cats couldn’t add to their first half goal which meant for a nervy minute or two in stoppage time. But they saw it out.
CONNOLLY’S RETURN
Sunderland’s goalscorer when these sides met at The Den earlier in the season and played out a 1-1 draw? Aaron Connolly.
And here he was lining up for the Lions, and in the starting XI and after a spell on the bench. Was a goal on his return inevitable? He had his chance when he lined up to take a free-kick right on the edge of the Sunderland box just after Hume’s opener.
But he got his wayward effort all wrong, which rather summed up a frustrating afternoon for the forward. He was booked just after the break and, alongside Middlesbrough loanee Josh Coburn, didn’t get the service he’d have wanted to make an impact after the break.
