O'Neill hails Sunderland form

O'Neill in training with players Credit: ITV

Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill has shrugged off suggestions that his side's league form has been affected by their FA Cup run.

The Black Cats could be rewarded with a semi-final trip to Wembley if they beat Everton at the Stadium of Light on tomorrow night. However, inconsistency had threatened to derail their Premier League campaign with recent losses at West Brom and Blackburn.

The Wearside club bounced back from the defeat at Ewood Park with a 3-1 win over QPR on Saturday, and O'Neill praised his team's response.

He said: "Good performance coming on the back of a disappointing result on the Tuesday evening against Blackburn. But I thought the team played very well.

O'Neill added: "We didn't deserve anything at all against West Bromwich Abion. We didn't play at all well against Blackburn Rovers. The other games we've always been in, we've had a chance, and people were talking a week or so about our league form declining. Yet we've won two from the last three games.

Sunderland's FA Cup quarter-final replay against Everton will be live on ITV1 from 7:30pm tomorrow evening.