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You'd be forgiven for suffering a case of déjà vu when looking at how Martin O'Neill has turned around Sunderland's fortunes.

Many will point to the fact that he has set up the team in a classic O'Neill formation, but one could also hark back to the side of a decade ago to find the blueprint for success at the SoL.

Two out-and-out wingers, occasionally a big target man with a little striker next to him, or, as has been the case recently, two small, quick strikers. Sound familiar?

Obviously, Stephane Sessegnon and Fraizer Campbell are not comparable to Kevin Phillips. Nor are Nicklas Bendtner or Connor Wickham as effective as Niall Quinn.

However, looking at the wingers in the current side and the side back then, there are certainly similarities.

Seb Larsson is arguably the closest you could get to Nicky Summerbee without bringing him out of retirement. There could even be an argument that he's better than Buzzer.

He can certainly cross just as well as him, but he is also great at tracking back and helping out defensively. Then there are his much-celebrated set pieces, which are almost unrivalled in the Premier League. I certainly can't think of many players better from corners and free kicks than the Swede.

He's our second top scorer, creates a lot of chances and if you were looking to pick a player of the season so far, there's only Sessegnon who could come ahead of him.

Over on the left wing, James McClean has been an absolute revelation since MON handed him his debut from the bench against Blackburn. It was one of those debut's that sticks in the memory, such was his impact, especially on the crowd.

You couldn't really compare him to either Alan Johnston or Julio Arca, in terms of style of play, but he is certainly as effective, and is on his way to becoming just as popular.

He's quick, strong, loves to run at players, can cross and has an eye for goal. He's not in the same league as Gareth Bale, but there are certainly similarities there. A poor man's Bale, if you like, and that should be taken as a compliment.

Much like Summerbee and Johnston, or Hoolio, provided the ammunition for a lot of our success in the late 90s and early 00s, so too are Larsson and McClean now.

In modern football, with so many sides playing three across the front and relying on full backs for width, it is both unusual and yet refreshing to see two natural wingers in the same side.

Growing up, there were few sights in football comparable with Ryan Giggs or Marc Overmars flying down the wing, or David Beckham or Nicky Summerbee whipping in a peach of a cross. Now, under Martin O'Neill, we are seeing exactly that, and the benefits are clear to see.

Even more remarkable about it is the fact that the duo arrived at the club in the summer for less than half-a-million pounds. Seb Larsson came in on a free; McClean for a reported £350,000. Credit must go to Steve Bruce for two excellent bargains, but even more credit should go to O'Neill for getting the best out of them - especially the Irishman.

Before signing for Sunderland, not many people had heard of James McClean. Until two months ago, he hadn't played a game for us.

Now, he is being tipped for a place in Ireland's squad for the European Championships, which shows just how fast his star has risen. And if he does go to the Euros, he can certainly expect to see Seb there with Sweden.