Sunderland needed a second-half masterclass at the Stadium of Light to get the better of a valiant Plymouth Argyle, with the likes of Pierre Ekwah and Jack Clarke amongst the goals alongside substitute Jobe Bellingham.
Bellingham's fantastic strike off the post sealed the three points at 3-1, meaning the Black Cats would end the day in the Championship playoff spots.
Unsurprisingly, this game-clinching goal should see Michael Beale bring Bellingham back into the first-team fold for Sunderland's Valentine's Day away clash at Huddersfield Town.
Yet, there was another attacker in the Pilgrims' victory that shone equally as bright as Bellingham in Patrick Roberts who will hope to be on the teamsheet again versus the Terriers.
Patrick Roberts' game vs Plymouth in numbers
Roberts very much seized his opportunity to return to Beale's lineup for this one, starting his first game since Boxing Day owing to injury troubles.
The former Celtic star picked up only his second assist of the season in the eventually dominant win, rolling the ball across the floor for Pierre Ekwah to score a cleverly worked free-kick past the hapless Argyle shot-stopper.
Only misplacing two passes all game warranted Roberts having a part to play in the equalising strike, further amassing three key passes in total as a creative force against a Plymouth defence that gradually grew more and more shaky as the hosts began to smell blood.
Minutes played
69
Assists
1
Touches
58
Accurate passes
36/38 (95%)
Key passes
3
Duels won
5/8
The 27-year-old winger represents a seasoned head in attack now, especially with Alex Pritchard departing for Birmingham City in the recently closed transfer window. Could Beale utilise this experience effectively between now and the end of the season, in the pursuit of promotion glory?
The Sunderland boss will, however, want to start Bellingham as well versus Huddersfield – adding in even more youthful exuberance to his already talented Black Cats XI, the 18-year-old sensation crucial in the promotion hopefuls getting over line against the visitors from Devon.
Jobe Bellingham's game vs Plymouth in numbers
Coming onto the pitch with only 25 minutes to leave his mark, it's fair to say the teenage talent did just that.
Replacing a hit-and-miss Abdoullah Ba – who has shown glimpses of his quality this season for Sunderland – Bellingham could be viewed as the more reliable attacking presence based on his impactful cameo at the weekend.
It would only take Bellingham two minutes in total to bag his "sensational" goal – as it was called by journalist Josh Bunting, taking on a number of Plymouth shirts who all stood back and then allowed the teenage talent to fire home.
Buoyed on clearly by Clarke also scoring a peach of a strike to give Sunderland the slim 2-1 lead on the day, Bellingham will be demanding he starts next game off the back of such an important involvement.
Only misplacing one of 15 passes too on the Stadium of Light turf, the exciting Black Cats number seven – who was once described as "integral" to Sunderland by Carlton Palmer – further did his bit by winning two ground duels away from just stylishly strutting his stuff.
Beale will be delighted with what he saw from his £6.5k-per-week teenage asset, tempted to start both Bellingham and Roberts against Huddersfield as a result.
With the Terriers leaking five at the weekend to high-flying Southampton, Sunderland will hope they can further expose the West Yorkshire side's frailties at the back on Wednesday night on the way to back-to-back wins.