Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill praises captain Lee Cattermole following shock defeat of Manchester City For us to win the game is quite extraordinary. It has been an incredible weekend. We're delighted with the three points. The roar for the goal was deafening, although I was delighted to hear an even bigger one for the final whistle at the end. It was a fantastic effort, it really was. City might have lost this game, but they will be challenging for the title at the end of the season for sure. The fact Manchester City were camped outside our area for the last 20 minutes in the second half, and for us to get players up in support when their last attack broke down in the 93rd minute, was fantastic. I've been asked whether I was ushering the players into the corner when we broke, but I wasn't because I knew there wouldn't be time for them to have another attack even if we were dispossessed on the edge of the area. I'm told the goal was marginally offside, but we end up winning the game - amazing. We had a great early chance in the game when Nicklas [Bendtner] went in on goal and we didn't take it. Sessegnon went close in the second-half as well, but after that I didn't think we would be doing anything other than defending for our lives. Sunderland's victory was made all the more special by the fact that O'Neill had to send out a makeshift back line playing in front of a goalkeeper, Simon Mignolet, who had not played since the end of October. His side were further weakened by the loss of centre-back Wes Brown to injury after 21 minutes and O'Neill had possibly feared a heavy home defeat given the talent they were up against. "We had a couple of illnesses and injuries to contend with," explained O'Neill, who dismissed any suggestion of a rift with City manager Roberto Mancini after the Italian had failed to shake his hand after the final whistle. We had a young Irish lad, James McClean, making his full debut, we had two midfielders playing out of position in Jack Colback and Craig Gardner at full-back and I thought they were brilliant. We had a goalkeeper who hadn't played in months and who I didn't expect to see for another three or four weeks and Seb Larsson, who has been ill in bed all week and I didn't think for one minute he would play, let alone still be going right at the end. O'Neill, though, reserved special praise for his captain Cattermole, deservedly named man of the match. Club director Niall Quinn joked on television he would like to confiscate the bottle of champagne he received to ensure he did not drink it before the Wigan game, but O'Neill was thrilled with the maturity of his performance. Cattermole did not endear himself to his new manager when he was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage to parked cars following a night out with Bendtner in Newcastle last month, but he is working his way back into his good books after this. O'Neill said: "Lee was terrific, really fantastic. I thought the team's performance was epitomised by the captain's. I've been asked whether that display shows Cattermole has matured as a person, or whether he has learned to be more disciplined and it's far too early for that, but I was delighted with him today. Despite the unexpected start to the new year, O'Neill will be asking chairman Ellis Short for money to strengthen his squad now the transfer window is open. I wish he'd been at the game today to see the spirit himself, but I'm sure he was watching on television. He's been delighted with the results, but the injuries are a bit of a concern and I will be having a conversation with him to see what we can do in the transfer market.