Sunderland

Substitute Joe Rothwell scored a late double as Southampton survived a Sunderland fightback to keep their slim hopes of automatic promotion back to the Premier League alive.

The Saints, who had their midweek game against Preston postponed at late notice because of a fire on a nearby industrial estate, took an early lead when Stuart Armstrong scored on the rebound after Anthony Patterson had saved Jan Bednarek's header.

Adam Armstrong made it 2-0 in controversial circumstances from the penalty spot. The former Newcastle man slipped as he took his shot and appeared to strike the ball twice but referee Stuart Atwell allowed the goal to stand despite Sunderland protestations.

Romaine Mundle pulled one back for the away side after the break with a deflected shot from the edge of the area and Jobe Bellingham crashed home a wonderfully hit equaliser but the home side stepped back on it and sub Rothwell scored twice in three minutes to secure the points for Saints.

Defeat for the Black Cats means they have lost six successive matches in the league for the first time since March 2006, when they were relegated from the Premier League.

Southampton are six points adrift off second-placed Leeds but do have a game in hand on the in-form Whites.

What did you think of the result and the performance? Have your say here.

We asked for your predictions and pre-match thoughts ahead of Southampton v Sunderland. Here are some of your comments:

Lee: Can't see us getting anything from this game two years without signing a decent stiker and our main threat Jack Clarke, injured we are toothless upfront I predict Southampton 3 Sunderland 0.

Joshua: Honestly, I don't see Sunderland getting anymore than a sixth successive loss in Southampton, and I have been a diehard SAFC fan for many years. The club has lost the support of its followers, and the manager situation has been nothing but appalling. The whole squad is simply too young and too poor to achieve promotion, which is absolutely dismal.

Richard: Six top players with long term injuries, international winger out on loan, coach who doesn’t want the job full time, we will wallow in last quarter of the season. I hope we snatch a win. Rigg to start but not Hemir.

Karl: I'm going for a 2-2 draw.

James: I fear a thumping coming on today. The decision to sack Mowbray has come home to roost. I cannot believe we would have lost this many games under him.

Sunderland seek to end their losing streak as they travel to St. Mary's to face promotion chasing Southampton.

The Black Cats have lost their last five fixtures and are without star man Jack Clarke through injury and Luke O'Nien is suspended after picking up too many yellow cards.

What is your score prediction? Have your say plus any other pre-match thoughts here.

• Southampton have won just three of their last 13 league games against Sunderland (D6 L4), though one of those wins came as an 8-0 success at St. Mary’s Stadium in October 2014 – one of only five matches in which the Saints have scored 8+ goals across their league history.

• Sunderland have won just five of their 28 away league games against Southampton (D7 L16), with three of the last four such meetings between the pair finishing 1-1.

• Southampton have lost just one of their 11 home games played on a Saturday this season (W8 D2), winning six in a row before losing 2-1 to Millwall in their most recent such game last month.

• Sunderland are winless across their last six away league games (D2 L4), losing the last three; the Black Cats last lost four in a row on the road in December 2019 in League One.

• Since the beginning of last season Sunderland have lost four of their five league games that Jack Clarke has failed to start in (W1), scoring just four goals across those five matches.

Image source, Getty Images

Mike Dodds has spoken to Nick Barnes ahead of Sunderland's trip to Southampton.

The interim head coach has discussed Southampton's midweek fixture being postponed, the positives being seen in the team during the current losing streak and his own career development.

You can listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds.

We asked for your thoughts on Sunderland's 1-0 loss at home to Leicester. Here are some of your comments:

Jim: Expected to lose by a larger margin so 0-1 is a bonus. Expecting six in a row by 5pm on Saturday but it seemed like there was a little bit more fight tonight.

Milo: Frustrating, all over the place at the start of the game and punished for it. Then took way to long to get into the game. Looked better with the intro of Aouchiche and Mundle but still too little too late. Dodds effect has worn off obviously.

Fred: Tragic result - but so many positives. I am happy with Dodds as manager. He is experimenting players on the games that we know we will struggle with. Onwards and upwards. I am seriously looking forward to the future, I know this blip will end soon enough.

Sam: Unlucky to not get a point but it's not luck that wins matches. Dodds is the fella and is trying to repair the damage created by the previous coach. Missed that creativity from Roberts & Clarke, but delighted to see Rigg grab his opportunity. The club's policy of youth is admirable. The question will remain, where are goals going to come from?

Image source, Getty Images

Jenson Seelt has spoken to Nick Barnes after Sunderland's loss to Leicester City.

The Dutch defender acknowledged the struggle of the first ten minutes admitting it felt like the Foxes were playing with an extra man.

Seelt also spoke about the unity within the team and focus on improving results while affirming his desire to give his all when he gets the opportunity to play for the team.

You can listen to the full interview here.

Image source, Getty Images

Mike Dodds says there were positives in Sunderland's loss to Leicester but they have to put an end to their current losing streak.

The interim head coach has spoken to BBC Radio Newcastle commentator Nick Barnes after the Black Cats' fifth successive defeat with reluctant praise for his sides' second half performance.

Dodds has also praised Chris Rigg for his first league start, returning Dan Ballard and substitute Adil Aouchiche but expressed disappointment in Luke O'Nien's yellow card meaning the captain will be suspended and unavailable for selection against Southampton.

You can listen to the full interview here.

Jamie Vardy's first-half header gave Championship leaders Leicester City a crucial win against Sunderland to keep their title bid on track.

The Foxes went into the game on a run of three straight league defeats, which had seen their lead at the top of the table cut from 12 to just three points.

But Vardy's 10th goal of the season, a headed finish after a Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall free kick from the left, saw them home in an uninspiring encounter at the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats lost their fifth game in a row, falling from the play-off spots to 10th place in that time, 10 points outside the top six.

What were your thoughts on the performance, the result and that controversial penalty decision in the final minutes? Have your say here.

We asked for your predictions and general pre-match thoughts ahead of Sunderland v Leicester City. Here are some of your comments:

Jeff: Leicester have had a blip lately but our form is no better then theirs. If they score early our youngsters will crumble and we will see a rout. I'm saying 2-0 to City.

Don: I expect Sunderland to beat Leicester whose own form has been poor recently. Probably a narrow win by a single goal. Maybe 2-1. I don’t think there is that much between any of the teams in this league and all of the so called top teams are likely to have a bad run. It happened to Southampton and Ipswich recently and Leeds earlier in the season.

Conor: Sunderland retain a lot of quality but are lacking confidence and consistency. I trust them to play better against the stronger teams and rise to the challenge a comfortable 2-0 win is on the cards.

Paul: Sunderland are without a manager and without a named striker, we'd be lucky for a draw but I predict a 2-0 loss myself.

Richard: Lose 0-3 unless Dodds organises play further up the field. Rigg must start. Neil must raise his game. Discontinue playing out from the back. Bring centre forward (not Hemir) into the action.

Colin: Sunderland 1-3 Leicester. Can’t see anything but an away win.

Mike Dodds has spoken about having Dan Ballard available for selection again.

The Sunderland defender served a suspension for accumulating too many yellow cards and was given a break by the club.

The Black Cats' interim head coach has described his return to training as like signing a new player.

Listen to the full interview here.

Marco Gabbiadini blames the recruitment of strikers for Sunderland's recent form and loss to Norwich.

Reacting to Mike Dodds' side's defeat to the Canaries on Total Sport, the former Black Cats striker said: "It's turned into an extremely average season, hasn't it?

"A lot of work being done in early parts of the season. Players, some of them overachieving, obviously Jack Clarke one of those but I think we've been papering over the cracks for well over a year now.

"The cracks have been caused by the people upstairs and the manager and the assistant, the caretaker manager, whatever you want to call him, whoever is in charge, he's bearing the brunt of it.

"Week in week out we go to games, Norwich were no better than us, they were pretty average as well. It was an average game. The stats were just about on par. The type of game if you came away with a win, you can say, 'Okay, did we deserve it? Yeah, we did enough to be in the game.'

"But football is about putting the round thing in the onion bag, unfortunately, that is what the game is all about. Somebody forgot to tell our head of recruitment.

"I can see the model, I can understand the pros of it and we've seen the fruits of it because I've congratulated and sung the praises of many of the players we've got in this young squad and their recruitment has been good but there are certain positions, certain roles and certain jobs in football that defy stats.

"You can't look at a set of stats and say 'Oh, he's a goalscorer.'

"Unless he scores a goal every game or a goal every other game. We're signing players to do a job upfront who have got no pedigree. Even in their junior football or their international youth football, none of them are prolific and it's an issue.

"A huge issue for us as a club if we can't score. We found a way with Jack Clarke and Jobe has pitched in with his fair share but probably should be doing more but there just aren't naturals at it."

What do you think of Marco's comments? Have your say here.

Sunderland host Leicester City in mid-week Championship action hoping to break their current losing streak.

The Black Cats have lost their last four games and are without star man Jack Clarke but could be boosted by the return of Dan Ballard who has served his suspension.

League leaders Leicester are also struggling for form losing their last three Championship fixtures - although they have picked up a win against Bournemouth in the FA Cup during that run.

What is your score prediction? Have your say here plus any general pre-match thoughts.

Mike Dodds has spoken to Nick Barnes ahead of Sunderland's Championship clash with Leicester.

• There have been internal talks about giving one striker a run of games

• He's still getting to know versatile Callum Styles' and doesn't know his best position yet

• 'Glaringly obvious' how important Dan Ballard is to the team and the defender was given a break and has come back bouncy and bubbly - 'like signing a new player.'

• Despite recent form says there is no good time to play this Leicester team with their depth in quality.

• Players' intensity, vibrancy and focus in training doesn't reflect four game losing streak but they aren't underestimating the position.

• Have to utilise the squad in next two games but looking for balance between freshening things up and having consistency.

Listen to the full interview here.

We asked for your thoughts on Sunderland's 1-0 loss to Norwich City. Here are some of your comments:

Ken: Very sad to see the optimism fast draining from Sunderland. An exciting team is now a struggling predictable outfit because of the failure of the club to add experience as well as youth to the squad. A lack of an experienced striker is costing us dearly. Arguably other questionable decisions by the board haven’t helped. The only way is down for now.

Edward: Once again a Jekyll and Hyde performance. First half decent, second half poor as we cannot compete for a full 90 minutes. I have no idea when the next goal is coming as we lack creativity and we all know about our strikers as far as stats go we are now the poorest in the league.

Jonny: Dodds will always have the support of the fans but he needs to change the current format. The final third in every game is becoming a joke. Left to right, right to left. As for Jobe, that isn't lack of fitness, it's pure laziness he's showing. Things need to change and fast before we see ourselves struggling at the foot of the table.

Jim: I had put us down to lose 3-0 so happy overall. We didn't lose the first half and only lost the second by one goal!

Dan: Top management are ideological about their approach. Young squad with “young” management. As a result a lack of depth, and when key players are missing (Ballard / Clarke) the shortcomings are exposed. I dare say if Mowbray (and Pritch) were still around we may have got a different result today.

Malcolm: Sunderland have very little goal threat now that Clarke is injured. Their technique of a very slow build up leads to the defenders settling themselves to cope with a single, often not tall, striker. When a bigger striker was used there were no balls launched into the box. Some of our players look callow, unsurprising considering their youth.

Lee: Whats the point commenting on performance, it's the same every week, no experience, no leaders, no strikers. This ownership is now as bad as the last ones , they have sucked the life and feel good factor from players and fans alike. Addicted to progress they said… The fans have had enough, I for one won't renew my season ticket, thousands won't.

Colin: Again, the result wasn't unexpected and our next couple of games will show just how far away we are from competing at the top of the league. What is more worrying is how many of our current squad will be here next season.

Image source, Getty Images

Pierre Ekwah has spoken to BBC Radio Newcastle's Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes after the Black Cats' defeat to Norwich.

The French midfielder says the loss is "difficult to take" especially because of the late goal because they played well prior to the Canaries scoring.

You can listen to the full interview here.

Image source, Getty Images

Mike Dodds has given a self-professed "brutally honest" assessment of Sunderland's 1-0 loss to Norwich.

The interim Black Cats boss has spoken to BBC Radio Newcastle commentator Nick Barnes reflecting on conceding a late goal after making attack-minded substitutions and given insight into what he didn't like from his side.

You can listen to the full interview here.