ONLY time will tell whether Sunderland's impressive Stoke City victory can be a springboard as Michael Beale hopes and needs.

But it's a start.

In truth, what Beale needed after a turbulent few weeks on and off the pitch, is a fresh start, to draw a line under what has gone before and effectively start again. The reality for the under-fire head coach is that the misjudged words and actions of recent weeks will continue to shape the narrative but the best way for Beale to ease the pressure and at least try to get supporters on side is by winning games - and it helps if the victories come in impressive fashion, as was the case against the Potters at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Despite the fact Beale's tenure is only eight games old, it had the feel of a decisive day for the man in the dugout. A string of defeats on the pitch and damaging errors off it had led to a growing number of Sunderland supporters hoping for the publication of a club statement.

One dropped shortly before 2pm on Saturday but the subject wasn't the future of Beale, rather that of Alex Pritchard. There is, as is always the case in situations like this one, two sides to the story. In short, Sunderland say they have offered Pritchard a one-year extension to a contract that ends this summer on his current terms; Pritchard, on the other hand, feels undervalued, frustrated that the contract offer wasn't tabled until this month and is understood to have a longer-term deal on the table elsewhere. Sunderland, though, say no offers have been submitted.

What is not in doubt is that it's an issue Beale could do without. A resolution is required in the coming days but at the minute it's difficult to see how an agreement is reached that pleases all parties.

Pritchard's performances in recent weeks have been one of the few plus points but in his absence Sunderland still managed to deliver. Saturday couldn't have worked out much better for Beale. The two players he brought into the team - Mason Burstow and Abdoullah Ba - scored the goals that set the Black Cats on their way to victory and Pierre Ekwah - influential and impressive in an advanced midfield role after a Beale tactical tweak - scored the third. Jenson Seelt's second half own goal never looked like sparking an unlikely Stoke turnaround.

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It was a vibrant performance, a far cry from the one-paced plod against Hull City and the tepid cup showing against Newcastle.

And there was a clear change of tone from Beale afterwards as well. Whether his press conference comments on Thursday were planned or instinctively fuelled by emotion, they were badly misjudged.

His approach was very different in the Stadium of Light press room on Saturday evening.

"The fans are the cornerstone of any club and at this club the passion is so high," he said.

"All we want to do is provide a team they can be proud of. I'm all in and the more games we win it will ease the relationship and build positivity around the club.

"It's been an interesting start, hasn't it. There's a lot of emotion. I'm all in for the club. I want to be here for the long-term and it's important that my team and our team go on the pitch and put in performances fans can get behind.

"It's been difficult (for me). I came into the club on my own so it's not like there are loads of people from the past who I can lean on.

"It's never easy to face the speculation or to have the focus purely on me like it has been. I hope it goes back onto the players now, they were fantastic and so were the fans. I can't fault the fans at all, they get behind the team.

"It's one performance, we want to build on it."