Mick McCarthy has backed Sam Allardyce to succeed with Sunderland.
The Black Cats may have lost to Arsenal at the weekend, but it was their first defeat in three, following back-to-back wins against Crystal Palace and Stoke City.
Furthermore, Allardyce admitted he was pleased with the performance and McCarthy has been impressed with what he's seen so far too since Big Sam took over on Wearside, he has revealed.
Allardyce perfect man for the job
Before he was even appointed Sunderland manager, there were many coming out to say that Allardyce, then just a rumoured target for the Black Cats, would be the perfect man to keep them up.
He has started to justify these claims since arriving, with his team winning three of their first seven games under his charge, having not won at all whilst Dick Advocaat was at the helm at the beginning of the season.
McCarthy, the current Ipswich Town boss, whilst speaking on Sky Sports' Goals on Sunday, recognised how "difficult" the job was when Allardyce arrived, but credited him for a "remarkable" turn around after "two wins back-to-back".
He continued, saying that the former-Newcastle United boss "gets the best out of players" and "knows how to organise them," which has helped them improve since his arrival.
McCarthy believes Allardyce can make Sunderland "hard to beat and not nice to play against" and that, whilst some will do some "complaining" about this style, it is one that "wins matches" and will bring them "success".
Arsenal defeat not a worry
The former-Wolverhampton Wanderers boss also urged fans, and the team themselves, not to "start panicking because [they] lost to Arsenal."
Sunderland were unfortunate at the weekend to leave the Emirates empty handed, being the better team in the first half by some way before conceding just past the half hour mark.
An Olivier Giroud own goal meant the scores were deservedly level at the break, but Arsenal would go on to nick the win when the Frenchman made amends by scoring at the right end in the second half, before Aaron Ramsey wrapped things up late on.
However, McCarthy was positive about the result, saying that it's not a problem because Allardyce is "happy with the performance" and "probably thinking" that if his team "play like that every week" then they will "pick up points."
"It's the other games" that Sunderland will "have to pick up points," the Ipswich boss added, with points against the Gunners, given the Black Cats' situation, a luxury.