Sunderland

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It has been one year since Pierre Ekwah signed for Sunderland.

The Frenchman arrived on Wearside from West Ham and has since made 40 appearances for the Black Cats alongside featuring three times for the under-21 side.

The midfielder has become a regular in the side under Tony Mowbray and now Michael Beale, often partnering Dan Neil.

This season, Ekwah has added a more attacking presence to his game with three goal involvements during the 2023-24 campaign so far.

What have you made of Ekwah's first 12 months at Sunderland? Let us know here.

We asked for your reaction to Sunderland 1-0 loss to Hull City.

Here are some of your comments:

Neil: Frustrating - in a word! We need to use our fast attacking style of football to dominate the opposition - whilst having older, wiser (calmer) heads on the pitch to engender changes depending on how the game is going…

Gary: Totally inept performance. Same old tactics Beale brings nothing new! No plan B either! Totally cheesed off.

David: New manager bounce jettisoned for ineffectual insipidity. Lack lustre and weak performance can only be down to the manager.

Jim: We are what we are... a mid-table Championship club!

Connor: It was a terrible performance by a poor tactical team layout by a manager who doesn’t have a clue. Something needs to change because what I saw today was utter garbage. Maybe we rushed in too quickly to appoint someone who knows nothing about football, especially a team like Sunderland.

Milo: A performance colder than the weather. Beale has failed to improve our level of football and looks like we've made a mistake. Good to see Hemir brought back into the fold, however.

Paul: Awful stuff. Slow, predictable and too negative. His strategy seems to be take no risks so we don't concede and give it Clarke to try and nick it 1-0. But we're always giving the ball away, so inevitably they will score. The board have allowed themselves to be conned by Beale who is clearly not a leader. Get him out now to save our season.

Lee: From the moment Mowbray was unbelievably sacked and Beale appointed, the football and every decision on and off the field has been a complete disaster! We are sleep walking into a bottom-half finish and the powers that be in our club have nobody to blame but themselves but as normal its the fans that suffer. Beale must go simple as that!

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Michael Beale has asked fans to get behind and support his Sunderland side during his post-match interview with Nick Barnes.

The Stadium of Light was filled with chants of "you're getting sacked in the morning" directed at Beale after the visitors' goal and fans boo'd at full-time as Hull beat the Black Cats 1-0.

Beale told the BBC Radio Newcastle commentator that the young team are "finding it difficult" to cope with the negative atmosphere.

"I'd ask the fans to get behind them. I get the frustration. They can see the effort on the park from the players and any little help they can give them or big help. I think they have to understand the strength of the help they can give to the team.

"Listen, when you're at home and you're a club like us, we expect to win. We're the same. We're bitterly disappointed."

You can listen to the full interview here.

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Luke O'Nien has spoken to BBC Radio Newcastle's Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes after the Black Cats suffered defeat against Hull.

The captain remains optimistic about the season ahead, discusses leadership in the the dressing room and getting back on track against Stoke next weekend.

You can listen to the full interview here.

Sunderland suffered defeat at home to Hull - The Black Cats' third consecutive defeat.

Michael Beale's side were beaten by a deflected shot from Liverpool loanee Fabio Carvalho.

Sunderland are now two points behind the Tigers who have climbed up to the Championship play-off places after their win at the Stadium of Light.

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

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Sunderland head coach Michael Beale has spoken to BBC Radio Newcastle commentator Nick Barnes ahead of the Championship clash with Hull City.

Beale says there's "no update" on any incoming or outgoing transfers although insists there are people working hard to get one or two in, has spoken about the squad players not getting into the starting eleven and tensions around the club.

He also reflects on the loss to Ipswich, the importance of a supportive atmosphere at the Stadium of Light and the options he has in central midfield.

You can listen to the full interview here.

Sunderland host Hull City this Friday night (20.00 GMT) hoping to bounce back after defeat to Ipswich.

A win could put the Black Cats back into the Championship play-off positions while another loss could see them drop as low as 12th, dependent on other results, at the end of the weekend.

Michael Beale's side did beat the Tigers just a few weeks ago in the reverse fixture on Boxing Day with Jack Clarke scoring the winner.

What are your predictions for Sunderland v Hull? Let us know here.

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Jermain Defoe's move to Sunderland in 2015 was fuelled by a desire to prove critics wrong.

Talking to Troy Deeney on their Football Firsts podcast, Defoe discussed times when he used negativity to spur him on. One example that the striker cites is during his time at Toronto FC when he says critics would suggest "he's done, he's gone to the MLS, he's chilling."

Following the stint in North America, Defoe returned to the Premier League with Sunderland. He says, "I think I needed that little bit of negativity to get me going because I was comfortable in Toronto. I signed a four year contract and that.

"I came back, and even when I came back to be fair, in my head I thought I've got nothing to prove because that's why I went [to Toronto] in the first place. Nothing to prove in the Premier League but then, when you start seeing things, it's time."

Defoe scored 34 goals in 87 appearances during his first stint at the Stadium of Light and is currently the ninth highest goal scorer in Premier League history with 162.

You can listen to the full podcast here.

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Liverpool are willing to sell 24-year-old goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher for £20m this summer and have identified 23-year-old Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson as his replacement. (Mirror), external

Want more transfer news including Amad Diallo and Jordan Henderson? Read Monday's full gossip column

We asked for your views on Sunderland's 2-1 loss to potential play-off rivals Ipswich.

Here are some of your comments:

Matthew: Everything fell apart when Beale took Abdoullah Ba off.

Claire: Just shows how utterly clueless Beal is. Taking Ba off who was having a good game, taking Pritchard off who was having a good game and there's always a chance he can create something. We had Jobe and Ekwah who had poor games but were kept on, until 80 odd minutes when he finally brings on a striker. Get out of our club, clueless!!

Dave: Good overall effort, however not starting without a centre forward is costing us points. Cannot understand the thought process. Move on to the next game.

Ray: Same old mistakes Sunderland make week in week out. We are our own worst enemies.

Michael: We don’t have a centre forward and it shows in most games. We rely too much on Jack Clarke to score. Tony Mowbray had the confidence of the players and the fans but not the ownership, who should be looking at the Director of Football. The new manager, Beale, will struggle to succeed.

Graham: Bellingham needs dropped. Ba was not exceptional - he does not know what he is doing and nor does anyone else. Ekwah needs reminded that opponents are allowed to tackle him. Play a centre forward. Prepare to replace Beale in the summer with someone who can lead a team.

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Dan Neil has spoken to BBC Radio Newcastle's Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes after the Black Cats' loss away at Ipswich.

You can listen to the full interview here.

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Black Cats boss Michael Beale has spoken to BBC Radio Newcastle's Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes after his side's loss to Ipswich at Portman Road.

You can listen to the full interview here.

Sunderland are out of the Championship play-off places after a 2-1 loss to Ipswich at Portman Road.

Michael Beale's side took the lead through the prolific Jack Clarke but The Tractor Boys came back through goals from Jackson and Chaplin.

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

We asked for your pre-match predictions for Ipswich v Sunderland.

Here are some of your comments:

Jim: 2-1 Ipswich. Hope I'm wrong!

John: Sunderland to win 2-1.

Colin: Think Ipswich will win the game 2-0, they have a much better midfield than us at the moment.

Edward: Lack of a striker is costing us dearly and the performance of our defenders last week means we will need to step up several gears to come away with anything at Ipswich.

Kevin: Sunderland is a team l have followed for nearly 70 years, l am going for a 2-1 win.

Gene: We aren't playing well. Hopeless in the FA cup. Away at a tough and good team. Too much movement and speed for us. We like to play sideways and backwards and hope for magic from Jack Clarke.

BBC Radio Newcastle's Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes is ready to get back to league football as the Black Cats travel to Portman Road to face Ipswich.

You can listen to commentary from Nick alongside former Sunderland captain Gary Bennett on DAB and Freeview via BBC Radio Newcastle.

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Alex Pritchard has been awarded Sunderland's Player of the Month for December 2023.

The attacking midfielder has been a creative powerhouse for the Black Cats in recent games and has become the first name of the team sheet for many fans.

Pritchard proved pivotal in wins over play-off rivals West Brom and Leeds with three assists across the two games. His wonder goal against Preston was also a highlight of December for Sunderland.

We asked for your views on Sunderland's player of the month for December after the club announced Luke O'Nien, Dan Neil, Alex Pritchard and Jack Clarke as the nominees for their award.

Here are some of your comments:

Karl: Winger Jack Clarke gets my vote as his goals have been crucial with none of our strikers managing to find the net.

Phil: Dan Ballard.

Sam: Luke O'Nien - leads by example and has adapted to play in a role on the pitch that the team requires. Epitome of what Sunderland fans love.

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Mason Burstow is set to stay at Sunderland for the remainder of the season, Michael Beale has confirmed.

There has been speculation in recent weeks that the Black Cats may terminate Burstow's loan from Chelsea early as the young striker is yet to score on Wearside and has struggled for game time.

Michael Beale discussed the young striker with BBC Radio Newcastle's Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes: "Mason's going to stay here, I believe.

"So, you know, we've had those conversations and as it stands right now, Mason will be here until the end of the season."

"He's training well every day. He did start seven games, I think, under the previous coach and the team got good results albeit Mason never scored.

"The one thing you would say is that all four of the young strikers that come in, maybe have not contributed as much in terms of goals but they must have contributed because the team is sitting sixth in the league, which for us right now after 26 games, I think everyone would have took that at the start of the season."

You can hear the full interview here.

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Sunderland have revealed that Dennis Cirkin is to undergo surgery and will be out for 12 weeks as the Black Cats provided a first team injury update.

A club statement on their website reads: "Sunderland AFC defender Dennis Cirkin has undergone surgery on his left hamstring.

"The 21-year-old, who last featured in November, is now expected to be out of action for a minimum of 12 weeks, as he starts a rehabilitation programme at the Academy of Light.

"After suffering a significant knee injury during the festive period, Niall Huggins has also undergone surgery and the defender will miss at least the remainder of the campaign.

"Forward Bradley Dack is continuing his recovery from a hamstring injury, with Patrick Roberts expected to return from a calf injury next month."

How much of a loss is Cirkin? Have your say here.