The Roker End was raucous, febrile and agitated. ‘Don’t worry about a thing, because every little thing is gonna be all right,’ they sang, a rendition of Bob Marley.
They remain optimistic on Wearside but, with a manager shockingly walking out on them 24 hours before a crunch match, Sunderland fans were rightly wound up.
Alex Neil, heralded a ‘saviour’ for leading them out of League One after four seasons down there, made a snap decision to join Stoke and left Sunderland managerless.
So the fact they hosted promotion favourites Norwich felt somewhat of an afterthought, with anger directed at the directors for letting Neil go so easily.