Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill explained starting Fraizer Campbell on the bench for their FA Cup win over Arsenal.

While he was out of sight until his 88th-minute introduction, manager O'Neill ensured Campbell was not out of his team-mates' minds.

"The first thing I said to the players is that Fraizer got us there because we did not play at all well against Middlesbrough in the first half (of January's fourth-round clash)," O'Neill revealed. "He joined the fray in the second half and gave us a new spur. He was as big a reason as any as to why we were actually playing Arsenal. I haven't forgotten that.

"But it is just a case of maybe nursing him through these games. I just thought we needed some real strength in there. Cattermole is a very fine leader and a good player. He is going to have a really big part to play in the next three months."