Sunderland defender Danny Higginbotham admits the players hang on every word of manager Roy Keane.

The Irishman kept his players locked in the away dressing room at Goodison Park on Saturday evening after seeing them collapse to an horrendous 7-1 beating.

He displayed a commendable calm as he gave his reaction to the media in the wake of the heaviest defeat of his career, in line with the approach he has adopted since taking over at the helm on Wearside.

However, while Keane did not mince his words in private, defender Higginbotham insists he does not need to raise his voice and throw tea cups to make his point.

The 28-year-old said: "He is a character who, when he speaks, you listen, because there is not much he has not seen in the football world.

"If he has got something to say, you know 100 per cent it is correct and you listen.

"He has not ranted and raved - sometimes as a manager you can rant and rave, but you do not get the point across.

"He gets his point across. The lads know he is not happy, but he is calm with things and for me, he is approaching it absolutely brilliantly.

"He gets his point across and the lads understand everything he is saying. It is up to us to listen to him and take it on board, and that will enable us to move forward."