REGIS Le Bris is constantly reminding his Sunderland players about the gruelling effort to come in a bid to ensure they don't get carried away on the back of their stunning start to the Championship season.
The Black Cats opened a three-point gap at the top of the Championship after their brilliant midweek win at Luton, which followed the impressive success at Hull.
Le Bris' side have won eight of their first 11 games but the dressing room priority for the head coach is making sure his players don't get ahead of themselves.
"He still just keeps reminding us about how many games we've got left," said Romaine Mundle, the Kenilworth Road matchwinner.
"Everyone's in good spirits but we know we've still got a long way to go.
"We're just taking each game as it comes really. Everyone is on the same page with the same mission but it's still early days.
"There's still a lot of games to go. It's a good feeling but it's on to Saturday now."
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Mundle has stepped up since the exit of Jack Clarke and his strike to secure the points at Luton was his fourth goal of the season.
"I just have to keep working hard, staying consistent and just keep playing at the top of my game," he said.
Mundle is obviously at his best and most comfortable going forward but he also knows the importance of digging deep and helping Sunderland with the other side of the game, as he did on Wednesday night.
"Obviously, wingers are mainly offensively, but if you can do the other work as well, I think the team loves it," he said.
"I'll just continue to do that work, keep helping the team, keep getting stuck in and then just keep taking opportunities when they come."
Attention now turns to tomorrow's visit of Oxford, with Le Bris facing a selection decision over Patrick Roberts after the winger was rested at Luton.
Sunderland's head coach also has a suspension concern over three key players after Jobe Bellingham and Chris Rigg joined Trai Hume on four yellow cards. All three players are now one caution away from a one-match ban and must negotiate a further eight Championship games before the suspension cut-off.
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