IT is often the case that under a new manager a struggling squad can be transformed in the blink of an eye.

Players, who looked like they had forgotten how to win a game, were short of self-belief and struggling to show their quality can all of a sudden look like an entirely different group capable of disposing of anyone in their path.

Under Martin O'Neill that is exactly what has happened at Sunderland. Saturday's win over Swansea City meant the Black Cats have now won five of their last eight Premier League games.

Prior to his arrival, it was two wins in 13.

The starting line-up is more or less the same as it was for Bruce's last game - the home defeat to Wigan Athletic. So what has changed? One word: confidence.

That much-needed injection of belief has given the entire squad a massive boost, so much so that they were determined to return to winning ways against Swansea after last weekend's unfortunate blip at Chelsea.

In the opening few months of the season, the confidence and belief that beams out of a winning side was nowhere to be seen on Wearside.

During his time at Manchester United, Wes Brown knew nothing other than a winning dressing room and having joined Sunderland in the summer as one of Bruce's nine signings, the defender believes Saturday's win highlights the miraculous change that has occurred.

"We are the same players that Steve Bruce had. Confidence was low and we were not winning too many games and you can get down a little bit because of that," he said.

"We just needed a lift. Steve Bruce was a great manager, and he was very unlucky. The team is the same. But it was just that little bit of confidence and we could have been up and running.

"We have won five of our last eight, so even when there was a lot of pressure on us today we were defending well and making it difficult for Swansea who are good at keeping the ball. But at times we broke better and maybe had the better chances.

"We watched Swansea on the tapes and they keep the ball very well and credit to them where it is due. We pressed at times and won the ball back, but that was basically our plan.

"Once we got to our own half we all got together and blocked it up and tried to counter attack. When you get the ball it was time to break and we did that well, but we all had to go together which we did.

It is all about confidence. The lads know they have the ability, but sometimes you have to tell them that.

"Steve Bruce was very unlucky, we are the same players with the same ability, it is just we had a bad patch and it didn't work out.

"That is maybe the type of game we'd have lost a couple of months ago. The lads have now got a good few wins under our belt, which we needed badly.''

This was a game Sunderland could have lost a couple of months ago, but the fact they came out on top despite not controlling the game for large periods highlights how far the Black Cats have come in a matter of weeks.

Buoyed by their defeat of Arsenal last Sunday, Swansea demonstrated exactly why they sit comfortably in mid-table with their sleek passing game.

Yes, they won the game in terms of possession, but were taught a harsh lesson by the Black Cats - if you don't take advantage of dominating games, teams will punish you.

The Wearsiders started brighter with Seb Larsson seeing his first-time effort saved onto the post by Michel Vorm from Kieran Richardson's left-sided cross.

And they were rewarded for their encouraging start when Stephane Sessegnon put O'Neill's side in front with the most stylish of finishes in the 14th minute.

After playing a neat one-two with James McClean, he collected the ball on the left side of the penalty area and placed his shot over Vorm into the top right hand corner.

The Swans piled the pressure on in the second half in a bid to find an equaliser and such was their domination after the interval, the hosts had to wait until the 76th minute for their first real chance of the half.

After collecting the ball from Connor Wickham, McClean swung a dangerous cross into the box, but Sessegnon couldn't divert his header the right side of the post.

Sunderland were hanging dangerously onto a one-goal lead and with their opponents pressing at every opportunity, the hosts had to make do with attacking on the counter.

Then with five minutes of normal time left, that counter attacking football paid off and after collecting the ball on the left, Sessegnon switched play to substitute Craig Gardner, who chested the ball down and rifled a sublime volley past Vorm from 25 yards.