Grant Leadbitter smashed Phil Parkinson’s criteria for what the veteran midfielder can offer Sunderland this season with an instrumental display at home to Ipswich Town.

The 34-year-old opened the League One clash on Tuesday night in the core of Parkinson’s engine room beside Lynden Gooch and Josh Scowen, and offered the Black Cats a superb enforcer as he held down duties on the half-way line to protect Tom Flanagan, Bailey Wright and Connor McLaughlin.

Leadbitter kept his cool in the closing stages to convert from the spot after Mark McGuinness was penalised for a handball, too, striking what proved to be the match-winning goal for his second of the season to move Sunderland to within a point of the automatic promotion places.

Sunderland have now won back-to-back League One fixtures following their first defeat of the season at home to Portsmouth and a draw with Rochdale, keeping the Stadium of Light natives inside the Play-Off positions and with the division’s joint-best defensive record after allowing just seven goals in 10 games.

Leadbitter re-joined the Sunderland first-team for pre-season training this summer having left the group for personal reasons earlier in the year, and delighted Parkinson with what he brought to the field when the 34-year-old made his first competitive appearance of the campaign against Aston Villa’s U21s in the EFL Trophy in September.

“He's a big plus for us from pre-season because he's come back in great shape, both mentally and physically. He's a good player, we know that, he's played to a very high standard in his career,” Parkinson said, via quotes by the Sunderland Echo.

“He's got a desire to be in and around the team. He wants to play and that's great to see. I do feel there's a really important role for Grant to play as club captain as the young players will look up to him.”

Parkinson opted to leave Leadbitter among the substitutes in Sunderland’s following League One meeting with Bristol Rovers, but has since started the £1.44m-rated veteran in eight of the Black Cats’ subsequent nine third-tier fixtures.

Leadbitter’s importance on the field was on full display at home to Ipswich on Tuesday night, as the Chester-Le-Street-born midfielder dictated the flow of proceedings with Sunderland’s most passes completed (46) and most interceptions (three), per SofaScore.

Only centre-half McLaughlin attempted a greater number of passes (53) than Leadbitter (52), who further won a ground duel and aerial contest, found teammates with three of five long balls, made one clearance and took his side’s third-most touches (58).

He may have been dribbled past twice and committed two fouls but, along with slotting home the decisive penalty, Leadbitter also drew the foul that saw Peter Wright show Andre Dozzell a straight red card, while making a goal-saving interception on the stroke of half-time and only losing possession six times.

Leadbitter’s performance smashed Parkinson’s criteria for setting an example for young players to follow, and solidifying the veteran enforcer’s place in the starting line-up ahead of facing Mansfield Town in the FA Cup this Saturday.

AND in other news, a Sunderland ace Phil Parkinson labelled as “accomplished” has delivered the Black Cats a fraught reminder.