A Great Performance… There's plenty to unpack this week, so let's dive right into Saturday's showing—because the lads deserve serious credit.

From the opening whistle, they brought an intensity we haven't seen in a while—perhaps not since completing the double over the visitors earlier this season. It's a bit frustrating, honestly, because performances at this level would have given Forest, Brighton, and Fulham no chance at the Stadium of Light. But the players stepped up, plain and simple.

The energy in the press was relentless. They hunted in packs, and that gave them the freedom to attack with confidence, knowing they could win the ball back quickly. And speaking of attack—there was a different feel to the side. I know it sounds strange after a game where we didn't find the net, but rarely this season have we looked so consistently dangerous.

The orchestrator of much of this was Enzo Le Fée. The debate about his best role started the first time we saw him in a Championship match, with Le Bris placing him out wide. But his recent minutes in the middle show just how effective we are when he's involved in the action. Part of why it worked so well against United? The willing runners ahead of him. A regular feature of our play this season has been checking back and rebuilding because of a lack of options in front of the ball. But against United, the players seemed under instruction to keep their runs going after playing the initial pass.

Combine that intensity with quality on the ball and runners who never stop, and it gives us some real clues about where we're heading stylistically next season. I know we should be used to it by now, but after watching a game like that, it's ridiculous to see national media outlets talk about "Sunderland shutting out United" and being the first side to keep a clean sheet against them in the league this season. That kind of grit and determination is exactly what you want to see—and what you can feel wearing the stripes.