Two-goal Steven Fletcher felt Sunderland earned the little bit of luck they got en route to winning 3-1 at Crystal Palace.
Fletcher scored a brace and Jordi Gomez got another as Sunderland won on a Monday night for the first time in 12 years.
After a hapless 8-0 loss at Southampton, it was also a welcome return to form on the road, but it could have worked out differently had Palace been given a penalty inside the first 30 seconds when Santiago Vergini felled Fraizer Campbell in the box.
“The gaffer tells us not to tackle in the box and we got away with one,” Fletcher told Sky Sports 1. “We deserve a bit of luck. It was a massive game, three points and the performance of the back four was fantastic. We know we have a good team and we don’t listen to outside things.”
Palace had got level when Wes Brown put through his own goal — Sunderland's third own goal in as many games.
"I felt for Wes as he was running back to cover, but we we reacted well," captain John O'Shea said. "We knew if we created chances we would score. Fletcher was fantastic, took his goals superbly, but the lads as a unit were a bit more sound."
