Blackburn Rovers' treatment of Tony Mowbray has "come back around to haunt [them]" as his Sunderland side pipped them to the final Championship play-off place, according to EFL pundit Carlton Palmer.

Palmer believes Mowbray was treated "very, very badly" at Ewood Park and has praised the "fantastic job" that he's done with the Black Cats.

Tony Mowbray's Blackburn Rovers exit

Rovers came from behind to beat Millwall 4-3 on a dramatic final day but it wasn't enough to help them secure a top six finish as Sunderland's win away at Preston North End meant they edged out Mowbray's former club on goal difference.

The Black Cats boss spent five years at Blackburn, winning promotion from League One before taking them close to the Championship play-offs on a number of occasions, and parted ways with them last summer after continued delays over a new contract.

Sunderland have reaped the rewards as they appointed Mowbray as a replacement for the departed Alex Neil just a month into the 2022/23 campaign and he has led them to the play-offs.

Carlton Palmer backs Tony Mowbray

Speaking to Football League World, Palmer heaped praise on Mowbray for the job he has done at Sunderland this season and suggest it is karma that their top six finish came at Blackburn's expense given the way his time at Ewood Park ended.

He said: "What a fantastic job Tony Mowbray has done at Sunderland at the expense at Blackburn Rovers.

"It's karma, isn't it, in life. Blackburn, he was there for a long time, I thought he did a terrific job there and was treated very, very badly. It's amazing how things come back around to haunt you."

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Jon Dahl Tomasson has done a fantastic job at Blackburn this season but the way things have panned out, with Rovers falling away and Sunderland finishing strong to pinch the final play-off place, has shown that it was wrong to put the blame at Mowbray's door when the Lancashire club missed out on the top six in the past.

The experienced coach did a phenomenal job at Ewood Park and it's a shame that things ended slightly sourly for him but he's certainly enjoying life at the Stadium of Light.

Anything from this point on has to be seen as a bonus for the Black Cats but with the Premier League now feeling within reach, there is bound to be disappointment if they can't get there.