Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has revealed that new manager Paolo Di Canio has already had an impact on the players.

The Italian coach took over from Martin O'Neill last week and, according to Mignolet, in a short space of time the Black Cats are more united as a team than they were earlier in the campaign.

"He wants us to do everything as a group. He wants us to be all together as a unit, so if we go out on to the training pitch, he wants us to go out all together and if we eat, he wants us to eat all together and I think that's a good thing," Mignolet told reporters.

"It's similar to what I know with the Belgian national team, how we do it in Europe. I think he brought that over from Italy, probably.

"He wants us to do everything together, just the same as his tactical work he does on the pitch. He wants us to move as a group, as a unit and he wants us to win games not by individuals, but as a whole team."

Next up for Sunderland is a derby clash away at rivals Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon.