Tony Mowbray reckons Sunderland will need moments of magic from Amad Diallo and Patrick Roberts to book a spot at Wembley.
The former Rangers and Celtic pair have been instrumental for the Black Cats as they secured a play-off position in the English Championship in a dramatic finale to the regular 46 game season. Millwall lost out 4-3 against Blackburn after leading 3-1 to hand Sunderland the chance to nip in and a stunner from Diallo got them off the mark at Preston before they hit two further goals in an 11 minute spell to book their ticket.
Sunderland are now just potentially three games from returning to the English Premier League and that achievement would come as part of back to back promotions. First up is the semi-final two-legged affair with Luton Town - who finished the campaign third.
READ MORE: Amad Diallo stunner has Sunderland dreaming of EPL as ex-Rangers man helps book play-off vs Luton
Ex-Celtic boss Mowbray has labelled the Hatters' season as 'amazing' and knows his side are in for a real tough game to advance to face one of Middlesbrough or Coventry City in the 90 minute showdown billed as the richest game in world football.
It's set to be a tight battle over the two games with the 59-year-old looking to the likes of Diallo, Roberts and Jack Clarke to provide that extra piece of quality - which they have done all season - to secure a return to England's top flight.
Speaking to Chronicle Live, Mowbray said: "It's an intriguing game, isn't it? Luton Town against Sunderland. With total respect to them, they have been amazing this year - as they were last year. It's not a fluke that they are in the play-offs because they were there last year as well.
"It's a tough, tough, game for us. We only played them six weeks ago at home. It finished 1-1 and we got a late penalty to equalise.
"Once they get in front, they are hard to break down. They are dogged, determined, they run and fight to win everything, they bring physicality. It's a tough game and I think over the two legs it will be tight and we have to have moments of magic from Amad and Roberts and Clarke like we did today if we are going to score goals against them because they are tough to break down."
He added: "The core of this group has been there [the play-offs] last year. They know how it works."
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