Gus Poyet has lauded the finishing of Sunderland's "outstanding" forwards after they fired the Black Cats to their first Premier League win of the season.

Steven Fletcher and Connor Wickham each scored their first goals of the campaign in Sunderland's 3-1 victory over Stoke City at the Stadium of Light this afternoon.

Poyet admits that it was the clinical performance of his strikers that was the difference in a tight game and feels that the result means that his side can now reflect differently on their start to the season.

"I love winning, I hate losing. It was incredible," he told reporters. "It wasn't our best game but we were outstanding in front of goal. They are happy boys now. The start looks different, it looks more than decent.

"When I'm wrong I take responsibility. It's nice when it works. Something was missing - we were good but couldn't score. We started Fletch and it worked. I am sure we will play better but it's a good day.

"Before today it was no wins. Now we have only lost one in seven. I don't remember the last time I was that calm at the end of a game."

Sunderland are 11th in the Premier League table having only lost one of their opening seven fixtures.