We just didn't have that killer instinct

“There was some suggestion that he said Liam Lawrence could have it but you don’t score one goal in four years and then give it away after scoring another. There were four others in the dressing room who said they would have it if Bridges didn’t want it.”

So it was Bridges and that was his first goal at the Sunderland Stadium of Light since December 1998 when he scored the second in a 2-0 win over Crewe during Sunderland’s promotion season.

McCarthy was certainly not happy with the other goal scored at that end of the ground, our equaliser. “People weren’t doing the jobs they were supposed to, they were diving in and missing tackles. It was sloppy, dreadful, garbage defending.

“I am far from content with the performance but very pleased and it was the perfect Christmas present. Burnley acquitted themselves well and did what we expected them to do, but Thomas Myhre didn’t have much to do.”

Clarets’ boss Steve Cotterill was another manager unhappy with the goals conceded but happy enough with the performance.

“I thought we played quite well today but we need to be more forceful at times, but the ball could have fallen more kindly for us today. I am though, majorly disappointed with both goals conceded and we don’t normally conceded goals like that.

“I thought we could have done better at times but we did play some good football and I thought we had the majority of possession in the second half. We just didn’t have that killer instinct to get something out of the game.”

On watching the match in the stand next to Chairman Barry Kilby he added, “It isn’t too bad for quarter of an hour or half an hour but I do hate it up there. The phone bill will be quite high so I don’t think I’ll be looking at that when it comes through.

“It was nice to comeback,” he said on his return to Sunderland. “I was pleased with the welcome I got from all of the staff and people at the club so all in all it hasn’t been too bad a day apart from the result.”

Finally on the injuries he said, “We’re not sure what Jean-Louis’ injury is but he will be devastated because he has worked so hard to get back fit again. That contributed to their goal because he was hobbling around for two or three minutes and the ball wouldn’t go out.

“It was good though to get twenty minutes or so out of Richard Chaplow. He looked good and we’ll look to build him up now.”