Tomorrow’s game against Arsenal at the SSOL is another major test for the Black Cats, and provides an objective measure of their momentum and progress, as well as the worthiness of this team to be feasting at the top table of English football so soon after a managerial change.

We know that Sunderland are on an amazing run under Martin O’Neill. Steve Bruce built this team but the new manager has found a way of getting them to play optimally; the Lads have earned 22 points in the Premiership since O'Neill's first game as boss on 11 December, winning 7 games in the process. Wayne Bridge and Sotirios Kyrgiakos can now make their full debuts, but why change a winning team?

We played away at Man. Utd on Guy Fawkes Night and lost 1-0 in a close game. Then there were 4 games against teams seen as peers, which we would expect to beat - Fulham, Wigan, Wolves and Blackburn. When we struggled in the first two, 0-0 and 1-2 with both at the SSOL, and especially the defeat to WIgan, when the team appeared totally drained of confidence, Steve Bruce was shown the door. We lost unluckily at Wolves and then won the first game with Martin O'Neill in full charge, 2-1 against Blackburn.

Compare this to our last 3 in the league - Swansea and Norwich dispatched 2-0 and 3-0, then a hard-fought 1-0 win away at Stoke. Success breeds success and the team is playing with a confidence that was lacking under Steve Bruce this season. Credit to O'Neill for that - he has delivered respectability back to the club. Wenger will not see this game as a formality, especially given the Gunners' recent away draw at Bolton and defeat at the Liberty Stadium.

The defence has been solid, and we have won 3 consecutive league matches without conceding a goal. There have not been 4 successive victories for the Black Cats since December 2000.

Although the back 5 have impressed, especially O'Shea and Turner, the stars have been upfront, and Stephane Sessegnon has either scored or provided an assist in 7 of his last 8 league matches, ably assisted by McLean and Campbell. Sess also proved a match winner again in the midweek FA up replay victory at Middlesbrough. Not an easy victory, but his quality came through in that extra time half-chance after Connor Wickham had held the ball up well. That has set up a second tasty clash against the gunners in the 5th round.

Arsenal come fresh from their biggest ever win at the Emirates. The form of Robin van Persie will test any defence, with 21 goals in just 19 games, but we have seen how they have been vulnerable away from home this season. The defence has not impressed and if we can put on as committed a display as against Manchester City, we will be in with a chance.
©Lars J.S. Knutsen