It shot them from a relegation-threatened 19th on Saturday morning to the apparent mid-table security of 11th the same evening. What a difference a point or two makes!

A victory over West Ham United this weekend would push the Wearsiders to within touching distance of seventh spot and no doubt spark hopes of qualifying for Europe, just a fortnight after some were talking gloomily of demotion.

It's a funny old game. But it's not that funny.

And some people need to get a sense of perspective - something Roy Keane was calling for at Ewood Park after the final whistle saw Paul Ince's players - who reached the last eight of the Carling Cup four days earlier - booed off the pitch.

"It's Incey's turn now," said Keane with a grim half-smile. "But that's the world we live in.

"It's crazy, absolutely crazy - there's always been knee-jerkers in the game - but it's gone crazy now.

"This game could have gone either way - both games against Rovers this week could have. We should also have beaten Portsmouth the other week, without a shadow of a doubt.

"If that happens, then it is all slanted completely differently.

"Everything seems to be over the top at this moment in time, and I think people need to relax.

"It is people outside the club who seem to react, rather than those inside well-run clubs - inside the club you just have to stay focused on what you're trying to do.

"I take it with a pinch of salt, and I hope my players do to.

"When I was a player you never really got involved in the speculation and I'm sure it's the same with my players - these are professional footballers and they just get on with it.

"But the reactions you can get these days - it's just nonsense."

Sunderland's victory on Saturday ended a run of four defeats in a row but, as Keane was quick to point out, disappointing though that was, it was hardly the end of the world.

"This time last year, we won one game in 13 games in the Premiership," he said.

"We've lost four this time. We're disappointed with that. But we've had it worse.

"Yes, I was disappointed with Stoke and Chelsea but it has not been all doom and gloom - there's less panic when you know that you're that close to winning games but it hasn't gone your way.

"We should have been comfortably ahead against both Portsmouth and Blackburn Rovers in the cup - there wasn't much in it.

"So I haven't been ringing the Samaritans - although I might have been had we lost to Blackburn!"

Keane and his players have earned a bit of breathing space with the Rovers win and now he'll hope that he'l be allowed to get on with the job with the minimum of hysteria to distract him and his players.

"If you lose football matches there's got to be an element of concern - that's human nature," he conceded.

"But we are focused on trying to improve the club.

"I was watching the reserves the other night, the young players who were outstanding - I talk with Kevin Ball and Ged McNamee at the Academy. I am just trying to build a football club here.

"As much as we've brought players in, it takes time for them to settle.

"We've had players trying to bed in, we're working on match fitness, we've had injuries. It takes time.

"That's something you don't really get, but you just hope your club accepts that you know where you're heading, and I'm comfortable with where we are heading.

"I think we're making good progress. Unfortunately when you are losing, people don't want to hear that. I understand that. I'm not stupid.

"In the history of the Premier League there's only two clubs that have come up, stayed up and done better the next season.

"So I'm under no illusions. If I thought I was going to finish sixth or seventh this season after finishing 15th last season. I'd be deluding myself.

"But there's no panic at the club. We'll be OK. We're trying to build here."