SUNDERLAND boss Mick McCarthy threw his weight behind keeper Thomas Myhre after the Norwegian was drafted in to replace Black Cats number one Mart Poom last night.

Poom will go under the knife tomorrow in a bid to rectify a knee cartilage problem and is expected to be out for six weeks.

The Black Cats had Myhre to thank for ensuring they got all three points after he pulled off an excellent save low down from Millers' substitute Richie Barker's diving header.

Sunderland were 1-0 up at the time thanks to Dean Whitehead's 61st minute goal - his first for the club.

McCarthy said: "He's (Poom) having a cartilage operation. I never like putting a time on it but it could be four weeks, it could be six weeks.

"He is the most diligent footballer I have ever met, professional, if it can be done . . . he will do everything to get back as soon as possible."

McCarthy said he had no concern about throwing Myhre back into the mix.

"Tommy is a Norwegian international keeper," he said. "Some smart wag decided I was desperate to get him out of the club the other week when I just told the facts that Tommy, financially, was always going to be let go if he could get a club.

"He thought he was going to (Crystal) Palace, he didn't go for reasons really only known to them and I am glad because as a lad, as a guy, as a player, as a goalkeeper he is terrific and now we are going to need him."

On paper Sunderland were odds on to roll over Rotherham last night and McCarthy accepted that.

"When we looked at the results on Saturday, West Ham beat Gillingham - I would expect them to beat them - Wigan beat Coventry - I would expect that result," he said.

"We are expected to win here and we have done it. We have done it and that's the only important thing."

Reflecting on whether Whitehead's goal was offside or not, McCarthy said: "Someone has just said to me that he looks like he has come onside and maybe he has been given the benefit of the doubt but I haven't seen it so it's unfair for me to comment on it. Like always when you are the one that has fallen foul of it you are always very annoyed.

"If like me we have got it, of course I am pleased, I am not crowing about it. I wouldn't like bad decisions going against us but I can't do anything about that. But I thought overall we deserved to win, we were the better side.

"Stephen Elliott got the man of the match and really he could have had the match ball with him as well."

* Simon Johnson has been recalled by Leeds two weeks into his second loan spell at Sunderland.

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