O´Neill praises Campbell return

Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill was ecstatic with Fraizer Campbell’s impact in his side’s 3-0 win over Norwich City on Tuesday.

Campbell – who was making his first start since August 2010 due to a series of knee problems – opened the scoring with a delightful strike from distance.

The former Manchester United attacker laid on the assist for Stephane Sessegnon’s goal shortly after before a Daniel Ayala own goal sealed a victory that lifted Sunderland to eighth on the English Premier League table.

“I am delighted for Fraizer Campbell,” O’Neill said.

“You should just see him in the dressing room with that big smile of his. But it is more than that. It is more than just his enthusiasm. I thought he played splendidly for us tonight. He got a great goal and had big say in the second one too with a great cross.”

“His overall attitude is terrific and his overall performance was brilliant. I think that he has surprised everyone. Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised because the medical staff have been heaping praise on him for his attitude throughout the time he has been injured.”

“There were a lot of dark days there because 18 months is a long, long time to be out of the game, especially when you are young.”

O’Neill revealed that Wes Brown’s knee injury – suffered in last weekend’s FA Cup match against Middlesbrough – is worse than first thought and he expects the former Manchester United defender to miss two months.

That means Sotirios Kyrgiakos, who joined the club on loan from Wolfsburg on transfer deadline day, may be called on earlier than expected.

“We have a few defensive problems now with Wes being out for a fairly lengthy time,” O’Neill said.

“News coming through today might not be as bad as I feared but it is still going to be a long time. I thought it was important for us to try to get a few in.”

“I don’t think Wes needs an operation but he will have two weeks in a brace, two weeks elsewhere and you are probably looked about eight weeks before he is back.”

Norwich City boss Paul Lambert refused to criticise his players despite admitting they were second-best by some way.

“I’ve got no complaints, the better side won on the night,” Lambert said.

“We were second best and when that’s the case that’s what you get. There’s not many times I’ve said that this season so I’m not going to be over-critical. We go again Saturday against Bolton.”

“We never get carried away whether we win, lose or draw so I won’t criticise the group because I know what they’ve done for me for the last couple of years. We were well beaten.”