Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley believes Ross Stewart is the best forward in League One - and not solely because of his goals.
Stewart is the division's top scorer with 18 strikes so far, with his prowess in front of goal powering Sunderland's promotion challenge.
But Cowley says it is the 25-year-old's willingness to defend from the front - allied, of course, to his eye for goal - that makes him stand out.
Stewart provided the assist for the Black Cats' winning goal against Pompey at the Stadium of Light yesterday, with Leon Dajaku's pressing forcing Hayden Carter into a mistake allowing Stewart to play the killer pass which Elliot Embleton dispatched.
"You do have to respect the pressure Sunderland put you under from the front," said Cowley.
"Everyone talks about Ross Stewart's goals, but the way he defends from the front is the reason why for me is the best forward in the division.
"We probably just got a little over confident in that moment. If we had our time again, we wouldn't roll it [the ball] out [to Carter]."
Portsmouth were the better side in the opening half-hour with Sunderland looking uncertain in defence, but Cowley's men failed to take advantage or even force Thorben Hoffmann into a meaningful save.
And as Sunderland grew into the game, Embleton scored what turned out to be the only goal of the game five minutes before half-time.
Cowley said: "I thought we had a really good way into the game.
"I think in the first 30 minutes, there was a lot to like in our performance.
"We had good control and tempo to us, created some chances.
"We can't play that well and not score the first goal.
"Then, we conceded.
"Just poor game management from us really.
"They had a free-kick, we should learn really.
"It is a difficult pitch, probably a pitch not permitting of such a wonderful stadium.
"Sunderland had some problems early in the game in terms of trying to build in the first line and we should have learned from their mistakes.
"We didn't, lost it and they were clinical.
"I don’t know how many turnovers we had in that first half an hour but it was an awful lot, we didn't take our chances."
Sunderland's pitch has come in for criticism from both Black Cats boss Lee Johnson and from visiting managers this season, and Cowley added his voice.
He said: "The pitch is one of those, it's a first goal pitch.
"If you score the first goal, which we should've done when we were on top, I think it would've given us a really good way because then Sunderland would have had to deal and create against us.
"As you will have seen in the first half, Sunderland are one of the top teams in this division, if not the best.
"They found it really difficult themselves and we won the ball back off them so many times and basically, the game is decided on that goal."
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