Former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips has claimed that manager Phil Parkinson is doing a "great" job in charge of the Black Cats.

Parkinson, who left Bolton at the end of August, took over as Sunderland manager back in the middle of October, following the sacking of Jack Ross.

After a slow start to his time with the club, Parkinson oversaw a run of just one defeat in 14 league games to propel Sunderland into the battle for promotion from League One, although failure to win any of their last four league games has seen Parkinson's side drop out of the play-off places on goal difference.

Despite that recent drop in form however, it Phillips has been impressed by the work done by Parkinson during his time at the club.

Revealing his thoughts on the current Black Cats manager, Phillips told Football Insider: “There is always huge expectations but I think Phil has done great. It was difficult circumstances when he went in there. Everyone was on a bit of a downer after Jack left and it took a while to settle.

“He has now found a system and the players to fit the system with the three at the back and the two wing-backs. The front-three are settled."

Indeed, it seems Phillips is confident that the suspension of football for the foreseeable future could even benefit Parkinson and his side in bringing an end to that recent unbeaten run, as he added: “Of course, the last three or four games there have been murmurs and disappointment as they slipped out of the play-offs but it was going to happen.

"Every club has a blip. The break will hopefully do them the world of good – the pressure is off for now.”

There are currently eight games of the regular season for Sunderland to play at some point, with the Black Cats still only three points adrift of the automatic promotion places.

The Verdict

I do think Phillips has a point here.

Parkinson was not exactly hailed when he took over as Sunderland manager as first-choice in the eyes of the club's fans, and the disappointing start he got off to will not have helped that at all.

As a result, the fact that he was able to turn the club's fortunes around and get them back into the battle for promotion all the more admirable.

Indeed, if this break does now allow Sunderland to regroup and push on to a return to the Championship, Parkinson's stock and reputation is only going to rise further as a result of what he has done - and could still do - at the Stadium of Light.