Sunderland

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Sunderland Head Coach Michael Beale has spoken to BBC Radio Newcastle's Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes ahead of tomorrow’s match away at Birmingham City.

“Firstly, I don't think Tony [Mowbray] has anything to prove to the Sunderland fans. Our fans will show their class. It's a big game, the niceties which I think should happen before the game will definitely happen and then it's about us going there and getting a result.”

Tony Mowbray was sacked by Sunderland in December after 15 months in charge. Just over a month later, the Teessider was appointed as the new manager of Birmingham City.

Saturday’s match between Sunderland and Birmingham City will be the first time Mowbray has faced his former club.

When asked by Nick Barnes whether or not the Sunderland squad need to take their eyes off the occasion, Beale said: “We’ve just got to play every three points, we can't look too far ahead. Our mentality has got to be one game at a time and if we take care of our results then the rest of the league will help us out I'm sure.

“There's a lot of football to be played. We don't want to get too high or too low after a win. I think our team needs to constantly refocus, each game is a different challenge. The Championship is very much a Pandora’s box in terms of styles and the way games are played. The form guide often goes out the window, certainly at this time of the season. The most important thing is that our mentality, our attitude, and our energy is spot on, every single game."

Beale remained tight-lipped on whether he thinks Mowbray’s spell at Sunderland will give him the upper hand:

“I think we'll find out after the game, it's clear that he knows our players, maybe there'll be one or two playing that have a point to prove to him as well. What I would say is there's a lot of respect for Tony Mowbray here at Sunderland and the fans and players will show that to him."

In terms of player selection for the match, Beale said: “We’ve got one or two lads who are a bit sore, we need to check on one or two, so that will give opportunities to one or two others. It's going to be a squad game when you play three games in a week and have the travel that we’ve had. So it's not a time for us to be down or debate the last game anymore – that last game has gone. We can only respond on Saturday afternoon with a stronger away performance than we showed on Wednesday."

Patrick Roberts went off injured during Wednesday’s defeat at Huddersfield Town. Michael Beale provided an update:

"It’s the other side to the hamstring that he did earlier in the season but it's very similar. It's obviously a real sore one for us to take because we tried to manage his minutes, we were managing his calf and now he’s managed to get a hamstring [injury] so it's horrible for Paddy and the team.

“Since I've come he's not been available much so we’ve lost a big asset, but it's a big chance for Romaine [Mundle] to step up now and Abdoullah [Ba] has played well in that position as well. We'll find a solution within the squad I'm sure."

You can listen to the full interview here.

Sunderland travel to Birmingham City in the Championship this Saturday as they face their old boss, Tony Mowbray.

The Black Cats slipped to tenth in the league on Wednesday after defeat to Huddersfield Town but remain just one point off the play-off places.

Mowbray's men sit eight places below Sunderland, just five points above the relegation zone.

The travelling fans are unlikely to see their former player Alex Pricthard lining up for the Blues due to an ongoing calf injury. The ex-Wearside midfielder left the Stadium of Light last month after telling the club he no longer wanted to play for them.

Can Sunderland bag a first away win since Boxing Day? Have your say here.

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We asked for your views on Sunderland's 1-0 defeat away to Huddersfield Town on Wednesday evening.

Here are some of your thoughts:

Malcolm: The main difference between this season and last is Amad Diallo. At the moment we are just mid-table Championship. There looked like a space for Pritchard but he wasn’t there. Poor.

Paul: For sure not Premier League material. Beale needs to go. What was the board thinking sacking Mowbray?

Lee: Garbage away performance again. Slow, predictable play. Huddersfield have won 6 games all season and 2 of them have been against us! And I still can't understand the love-in with Patterson, I think he has been poor for months now.

G: Sunderland were slow from the start. They looked tired and lacked enthusiasm. The passing was off the mark and the forward flow of play lacked unity. The first 10 minutes of the second half had flashes of inspiration but Huddersfield shut them down and played the game out.

Garry: My barrel of disappointment over pours. The lads looked lethargic and lacked fight across the pitch. Jobe looks better as a second half substitute than when he starts and was giving the ball away too easily and often, we cannot keep throwing away games to lower opposition. Beale's magic seems to be a one time only thing.

Do you agree? Or are you more upbeat? Have your say here.

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Michael Beale has spoken to BBC Radio Newcastle’s Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes after defeat on the road to Huddersfield Town:

“You could see that they made the game a physical battle all over the park going man for man. We tried to overload it in the first half with Abdoullah [Ba] then realised the spaces were so tight, so we tried to get them on the side. We had some joy across the whole game, but we’ve lost away from home on a set play.

Beale added: “It’s not good enough. We had some incredible chances [in the] second half, we got in some good areas [in the] first half, looking not as big as a threat as I would like. But we’ve conceded away from home on a set play and that’s Middlesbrough now and that's Ipswich and that’s on me, I’m going to have to fix that. That’s hurt us.

“We chased the game [in the] second half, we really opened out and it made for an exciting second half. We had our fair [share] of opportunities, but I need to see Sunderland shirts picking up on those.”

When Nick Barnes suggested things looked a bit desperate in the second half, Beale said: “We had to play that way because we know what the points would mean to us. I felt if we got a goal at any moment the whole atmosphere in the stadium would've changed.

“If we come away from home and we can't find that moment of quality then we must defend well in our own box on set plays. We need to improve.”

You can listen to the full interview here.

Sunderland suffered defeat away to Huddersfield Town in the Championship.

Matty Pearson's first half goal proved the difference between the sides.

The Black Cats have fallen out of the play-off places again, one point off Norwich in sixth.

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

We asked for your reaction to Sunderland's 3-1 win against Plymouth Argyle.

Here are some of your comments:

Andy: I thought if we could get four points from these last three games we’d be lucky, and we’re coming out of them with 7! Maybe Beale isn’t so bad.

Dave: A performance to be very proud of. Hopefully this is the kick-start we have been waiting for that has lifted us into the top six and now keep us there👌

Milo: Really good win. Poor first half and was really a game of two halves. Some great goals and the tempo really upped second half. Onwards and upwards.

Richard: Good win after a dozy first half against moderate opposition. Vital to win next three games to maintain top six position before successive fixtures v Norwich, Leicester and Southampton.

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Pierre Ekwah has spoken to BBC Radio Newcastle's Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes after scoring for the Black Cats in their 3-1 win v Plymouth Argyle.

On his goal, the French midfielder said, "I tried to to take them by surprise because to be truthful, they really had a good wall.

Our freekicks in the first half were either in the wall or deflected, so we tried to come up with something and it worked so I'm quite pleased with that.

"Everything went quick, I just seen a gap and just put it there and it went in so I'm happy."

You can listen to the full interview here.

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Michael Beale has spoken to BBC Radio Newcastle's Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes after the Black Cats' 3-1 win v Plymouth Argyle:

"We only played in one half if we're honest. We started the game well but we really fell. Too many individual errors.

"We went really bold and attacking with the line-up and it certainly in terms of cohesion early in the game, I wasn't pleased with our pressing and the team wasn't.

"We had some honest words at half-time. Got out early for the second half and I thought from the moment second half, we were much better. Much, much better.

"We scored three excellent goals. I thought it was a game, all four goals were all good weren't they? But our three, I'm absolutely delighted with and we're mixing around the goal scorers now.

"That's the second home game that we've scored three goals. Six in the last two home games. Huge positive for us."

Beale added, "We went and pressed.

"Trai Hume's jumping out of his slot to go and press, and the fans get with that and Naz [Rusyn] ran tirelessly in the game. Didn't get any reward for it other than the team win.

"He didn't get any personal reward for it but I thought his energy was fantastic and the goals that we scored, all three of them were special goals and they're big moments.

"That 15-20 minute spell, we looked a really good team so it's incredible how we can be how we were in the first half and how good we were in the second half but that's what I suppose it's like managing a young team at times.

"I just said to them in there, really, really important win because you see where it's taken us in the league tonight."

Listen to the full interview here.

Sunderland came back from behind to beat Plymouth Argyle 3-1 and give a massive boost their play-off hopes.

The visitors took the lead in the first half at the Stadium of Light through Ryan Hardie but three second half goals from Pierre Ekwah, Jack Clarke and substitute Jobe Bellingham gave Sunderland the win.

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

We asked for your views on where Sunderland would finish at the end of the season and if the Black Cats had enough to make it to the Championship play-offs.

Here are some of your comments:

Ashley: I think about 8th maybe. We're a little bit too inconsistent in games. One half can be unplayable the second half we can come out a total different team and look poor or vice versa.

Joe: At best we get bottom play-off spot like last year but even that’s a stretch with how inconsistent we have been.

Paul: 9th - not good enough to finish in the top six. The new manager hasn't made any impression yet and the season is well down the road. Why they sacked Mowbray is a mystery to all but the Chairman and Board - people who don't understand the game making big and bad decisions.

Geoff: No striker. No cutting edge. I think we’ll finish about 10th in the table, but as always, I hope I’m wrong.

Derek: I’ll be happy finishing where we are. Whilst promotion is the ultimate goal we’re nowhere near to being a team that could survive in the Premier League. So let’s build a squad that when the time comes can more than hold its own in the Premier league.

Sunderland host Plymouth Argyle in the Championship this Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Black Cats could return to the play-off places if other results also go their way. Michael Beale's side are unbeaten in their last two outings and will be hoping to keep their strikers scoring with Burstow and Rusyn finally netting recently.

The visitors are enjoying a bit of lower-mid-table obscurity - eight points above relegation and nine points from the top six.

In recent history, Sunderland have tended to struggle against teams in the bottom half of the table, but did beat Stoke in the last showing at the Stadium of Light.

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

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Michael Beale has spoken to BBC Radio Newcastle's Nick Barnes ahead of Sunderland's Championship clash with Plymouth Argyle.

• Seelt missing out v Boro, Hjelde offering balance and Hume better on right

• Caden Kelly is now training with the first team

• Rusyn being more than just a number nine

• New signings and returns from injury allow for 'plan B' from bench

• Embleton and Evans return updates

You can listen to the full interview here.

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Michael Beale has spoken about the midfield battle during Sunderland's 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough.

In a post-match interview with BBC Radio Newcastle's Nick Barnes, the Black Cats head coach said, "It was an intriguing battle in midfield today. They were playing man-for-man. I wanted Pierre [Ekwah] to come down because I thought then Abdoullah [Ba] could come inside.

"Trai [Hume] was giving us really good width. Fantastic crosses first half, Trai. We've got to gamble a bit more to get in the box and help Mason [Burstow] because I thought some of his crossing first half was excellent.

"So, no, it was just a tactical thing. It was a reminder that if someone's man-marking you, take him out of a space so maybe Abdoullah can come in but our three young midfielders have got to realise that today their three midfielders went after us and that's when you learn really what you've got.

"Are you willing to go where your lungs burn? Are you really willing to win the challenges that make a difference in the game?

"Overall, it was a tie I think in midfield and it was a tie in the outcome of the result."

Listen to the full interview here.