The decision sparked a series of rumours on Wearside, but Roy Keane has since confirmed that the act was purely based on the efforts he saw during training.
"I pick my team on what I see and not what I hear from people or agents or fathers or girlfriends.
"I judge my players on what I see on the training pitch. And that's an intensity to do well, to improve, to become better.
"The other four or five will be back training with them tomorrow and then, maybe, they'll be involved next week and others will slack off."