Sunderland

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Sunderland will never get caught again worrying about what their promotion rivals are doing, says captain Dan Neil.

The Black Cats 3-2 win at Middlesbrough on Monday night leaves them fourth in the Championship table, three points outside the automatic promotion places.

Their victory came after immediate rivals Leeds and Sheffield United won at the weekend while Burnley drew.

"It's important we take it game by game. The only people who are going to stop us getting to where we want to is ourselves, and that's by becoming complacent and focusing on other teams too much," Neil told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"Last week was a prime example of that - we saw everyone else drop points, and playing bottom of the league Plymouth, thinking we could just turn up and win, and we said afterwards in this league you can't do that."

Sunderland's next games are at home to Watford, who have lost their past three matches, and Luton, who are currently second from bottom.

"There are teams fighting for their lives; there are teams fighting to get back in the play-off push. We learnt a harsh lesson last week and I'm sure it won't happen again," added Neil.

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Sunderland's Abdoullah Ba has signed for French Ligue 2 side USL Dunkerque on loan for the rest of the season.

The 21-year-old joined the Black Cats in the summer of 2022 and has made 74 appearances for the club, although only one has come this season.

The midfielder started his career in France at Le Havre AC where he came through their academy sides.

Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman said: "After playing regularly throughout his first two seasons at the Club, first-team opportunities have been limited for Abdoullah this season.

"We hope this move will be a platform for him to earn regular playing time before he returns to Sunderland at the end of the campaign.

"We wish him well and look forward to reviewing his progress throughout the next few months."

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Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris says that his call for more passion provided the difference in the Tees-Wear derby.

With the score at 1-1, Le Bris told his players at half-time that they needed to up that to take control.

And thanks to a late winner courtesy of Ryan Giles' own goal, the Black Cats claimed a first derby double over Middlesbrough since the 1961/62 season.

"Middlesbrough started very well, playing really good football. We conceded many situations so we were a little bit lucky not to concede a second goal.

"We stayed in the game, but it tested our patience as maybe we were a bit sloppy in possession.

"At half-time, we spoke about character, about playing with more passion.

"It was an intense game against a strong team and we had to play with 101%, not 80 or 85 or 90. And second half, we did that and we played a bit more vertical."

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Sunderland's substantial offer for Leicester City midfielder Kasey McAteer has been rejected.

It is slightly less than the initial £8m reported, but it has been turned down by the Foxes.

The 23-year-old has made 15 appearances for the club this season and has featured six times under current boss Ruud Van Nistelrooy.

The academy graduate, who is also a Republic of Ireland international, has scored seven goals in 45 appearances for the club and won the Championship with the Foxes last season.

Sunderland are fourth in the Championship and face Middlesbrough at Riverside Stadium tonight.

Mandeep Sanghera
BBC Sport journalist

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The main action taking place at Liverpool on deadline day is concerning their younger players and the club weighing up whether to keep them at Anfield or send them out on loan for experience.

It seems likely that Reds forward Jayden Danns, 19, will be allowed to go out on loan to Sunderland, while winger Kaide Gordon, 20, will join Portsmouth until the end of the season.

Liverpool's 20-year-old midfielder James McConnell, who impressed manager Arne Slot in a Champions League defeat at PSV Eindhoven last week, will be staying put.

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Fulham are keen on Sunderland's 22-year-old Northern Ireland full-back Trai Hume. (Belfast Telegraph - subscription required), external

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All eyes will be on the Riverside on Monday night as Middlesbrough and Sunderland face-off in a Tees-Wear derby (20:00 GMT) which will be screened on free-to-air TV.

The Black Cats sit fourth and will be hoping to keep up the pace in the race for automatic promotion while two places but 11 points behind them, Boro will be seeking to solidify their spot in the play-offs.

• Middlesbrough have lost just two of their past 27 home league games against Sunderland (W16 D9), remaining unbeaten across their last six home outings against the Black Cats.

• After winning the reverse fixture 1-0 in September, Sunderland are looking to record a first league double over Middlesbrough since the 1961-62 season.

• Middlesbrough have lost two of their past three league games (W1), as many as in their prior 13 league outings combined (W6 D5).

• Sunderland have lost just two of their past 11 away league games (W4 D5), keeping a clean sheet in five of those matches. They will be looking to win consecutive away matches in the Championship for the first time since October, however.

• Heading into this weekend, Finn Azaz has created more chances than any other player in the Championship this season (62). Indeed, only Borja Sainz (18) has been directly involved in more goals than the Boro man in the same time (17 – eight goals, nine assists)

Middlesbrough's move for former Leeds midfielder Glen Kamara could be off, with the Finland international, who has also been linked with Sunderland and Burnley, now reportedly ready to move to Saudi side Al Shabab. (Northern Echo, external)

Sunderland's ambitious bid to sign Brighton striker Evan Ferguson on loan could be scuppered by West Ham (Football League World, external)

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Sunderland face competition from Leicester and French Ligue 1 club Marseille in the race to sign Ajax's former Boro striker Chuba Akpom, 29. (The 72), external

Want more transfer news and rumours from the EFL? Read Wednesday's gossip column here.

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Sunderland midfielder Jobe Bellingham is wanted by Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen. (The Sun), external

Want more transfer news and rumours from the EFL? Read Monday's gossip column here.

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Sunderland forward Wilson Isidor is not thinking about his recent disappointments.

The 24-year-old missed two late penalties in a goalless draw at Burnley earlier this month and then had a goal controversially disallowed at Derby last Tuesday.

Isidor returned to the scoresheet in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Plymouth Argyle.

"It was a tough week, it didn't start well but I'm only thinking about the present, not the past," he told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"I showed character on the (second) penalty but my team-mates also pushed me to say 'you take it.'

"I wanted to take it and that was life - I missed - I will miss again in my life, I will score lots but I'm not frustrated about that, it's behind me now and I'm focused on the future."

Isidor also confirmed he will remain on penalty duties for the Black Cats.

The Frenchman's strike against Plymouth was his ninth league goal of the season and he has been keen to thank head coach Regis Le Bris for his support.

"The coach and me have a good relationship, he's pushing me every day to progress and get better," Isidor added.

"He helped me a lot after what happened at Burnley and all the staff and players as well and that's what's pushing me to react quick and forget about what has happened in the past."

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Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris lamented his side's second-half performance following their home 2-2 draw against Plymouth Argyle.

Wilson Isidor opened the scoring for the Black Cats after Argyle had taken the lead through an own goal with Trai Hume volleying in Sunderland's second before Nathanael Ogbeta snatched a dramatic 90th-minute equaliser.

"At the end I think we were a bit lucky to win a single point," Le Bris told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"I think we started well because the first half was OK, but we were faced with a very compact block and we found some solutions sometimes, but we didn't create many chances."

"During the second half I think we made many mistakes and we opened our shape and they found solutions to create chances and they scored.

"It was deserved from them and we came back in the game - but at the end it was more direct for them and we didn't manage the end of the game properly."