Speaking on the BBC's Match of the Day programme at 23:25 on December 3rd, ex-Newcastle United striker and current BBC pundit Alan Shearer offered high praise for his former club's bitter rivals Sunderland, after their impressive 2-1 win over Premier League champions Leicester City at the Stadium of Light yesterday.
The Black Cats have now won three out of their last four league games, and they are all of a sudden just one point adrift of safety - a gap that was a high as eight just four games ago.
And Shearer told Match of the Day how David Moyes' men deserve credit for how they went about their business yesterday:
"Sunderland were absolutely brilliant. They deserved to win. They were hungrier than Leicester. They won more 50/50's, and they worked harder. They thoroughly deserved their three points."
Jermain Defoe once again struck for the Wearsiders, taking his tally to eight goals in 14 Premier League games so far this season, and quite where Sunderland would be without the 34-year-old really doesn't bare thinking about.
Moyes will be hoping that his side's recent good form will lead to improved confidence levels among the camp, with tricky looking fixtures against league leaders Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool all coming up within the next month.