Roy Keane believes he has a 'warrior' in Nyron Nosworthy after he watched his defender turn in a masterful display at the back against Aston Villa on Saturday.

The Black Cats won for the first time on the road this season at Villa and kept a clean sheet in the process, and that was due in no small part to the performance of Nosworthy, according to his boss.

"I thought Nyron Nosworthy was outstanding - he was a warrior," said Keane in The Northern Echo. "The defence got turned once or twice which was perhaps inexperience coming through but they got away with it and potentially rode their luck.

"Nyron took a few knocks but that is good - if you get through a Premier League game without a knock then there is something wrong with you.

"There were ice packs on plenty of my players' legs but I get worried when I don't see ice on their legs. They should be getting knocks.

"We've got a decent group and it was far from doom and gloom in the dressing room after the game."

Keane added: "I think it will be very easy to keep the players' feet on the ground. We've won one away from home - if that is something to get carried away with then we're all in trouble.

"I have great faith in the players - I work with them every day. There is no problem with any of the players - they're focused.

"It wasn't as if the away win hadn't looked like coming. I can think of seven or eight games where we've done enough to win, but then one mistake has cost us - whether that is at Derby the other week or Portsmouth where we just haven't got over the finishing line.

"We just haven't been able to do it - it hasn't been like we've been battered."