Lee Cattermole reserved special praise for Wahbi Khazri in the aftermath of Sunderland’s 2-2 draw with West Ham United.
The Tunisian made an immediate impact on his first start since October, scoring directly from a corner against the Hammers en route to a man-of-the-match performance.
Post-match the Sunderland manager, David Moyes, hailed the winger's impact, and it was a sentiment shared by Cattermole.
“Behind the scenes, the feeling in the dressing room before the game was good,” said the 29-year-old.
“We had a couple of changes in the team and that gave everyone a lift.”
He continued: “It was nice to have Wahbi out there with us. He’s a great lad, and he’s worked really hard.
“He hasn’t played, and he’s going to get fitter, but he’s played 90-odd minutes there for the first time in a long time and that’s real credit to him.
“That’s as positive as I’ve felt after a game for a long time, and if we have to start with a draw, we’ll start with a draw.
“But I think you’ll definitely see us look to build on that.”
