Chris Coleman got his first win as Sunderland manager in just his second attempt as the Wearside club took all three points from their crunch encounter with Burton Albion this weekend.

The victory lifted Sunderland from bottom of the table up to 22nd and just two points from safety.

Another positive was the performance of Paddy McNair who got another 70 minutes under his belt and produced his best display of the season.

It was the Northern Irishman’s fifth game since returning from a cruciate knee ligament injury and he missed the loss at Aston Villa in the week as the club didn’t want him to play two games in four days.

However, he returned at the Pirelli Stadium but Coleman admitted they need to manage him carefully when speaking to the Sunderland Echo.

“Paddy McNair was out a long time, we can’t keep pushing him for 90 minutes, there is the bigger picture. We can’t risk Paddy for 90 minutes and then lose him again for two or three months.”

“We can’t lose anymore player, we have eight or nine out. We have to be careful and cute in our decision making. It worked against Burton, the guys that came on made an impact.”

The Verdict

Chris Coleman is absolutely right that the club can take no risks with McNair as it’s just not worth it in case he breaks down again.

Returning from such a severe injury takes time and McNair can’t be rushed. He will get better with every game, and he looked much improved on Saturday.

Fortunately, Coleman seems very aware of how to deal with McNair and he won’t risk the ex-Manchester United man which is a very sensible move.

Thoughts, Sunderland fans? Let us know in the comments below.