Martin O'Neill hails Adam Johnson

Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill has heaped praise on winger Adam Johnson after his goal against Manchester City on Boxing Day.

Johnson scored the only goal of the game to give his current employers a 1-0 win over his old club at the Stadium of Light.

O'Neill admits that the 25-year-old made a slow start to his Black Cats career, but is now starting to hit the form that he knows he can play at.

"Today I thought he was excellent," said O'Neill. "It was good for him to score against his former team. He looked surprised that he'd scored the goal. He wasn't sure whether it had gone in.

"For one so slim he's actually got a fantastic shot on him and I think if he could get into those type of positions a wee bit more often but he's striving to do that.

"I think we all accept that he hasn't settled as quickly in the side as Steven Fletcher but there are signs there that he's really coming in to the sort of form that we know he's capable of."

Sunderland host Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.