Alex Neil says Norwich City must get back to winning matches if they hope to be in the Premier League next season.
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Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, this season’s top two goalscorer with 21 goals in 33 games, scored a double at the 66th and 90th+5 minutes to lead the Foxes in the match and hand the Black Cats their sixth consecutive winless effort. Sunderland on this level might be the team that has an advantage since they have a lot of experienced players such as Defoe and an influence such as him might go a long way in such an important game. “He said players have performed the best they have all season at that stage, to get out of trouble”. Predict the score for this match and the rest of this round’s Premier League fixtures in our Predictor game.
With just six games to go, Sunderland are third from bottom and chasing Norwich, who are four points better off. The Black Cats have a game in hand over their relegation rivals, but Norwich have already bagged the points. “It would hurt, yes, but it’s more important for the club than it is for me”, said the former Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Bolton Wanderers boss.
A first-half penalty from Fabio Borini, after he had been fouled by Andre Wisdom, and a strike early in the second half from Jermain Defoe, who took his tally to 16 goals from 30 matches this season, put Sunderland in control.
While Norwich manager Neil anticipates a “cagey” first half, he expects the game to become increasingly fraught and ragged – especially if one side falls behind and must then force the issue.
“And the feeling that you get when you stay up – like we did last season – is unbelievable”. If we can pick up some points against Arsenal next weekend we’ll be rushing back in to see what the results have been elsewhere. It was scrappy at times, but sometimes you have to dig it out.
Sunderland struck again in the 53rd minute, Borini whipping over a sublime cross that Defoe met with a typically predatory sliding finish at the far post.
“Everybody was happy and I think they are now thinking that we can do it and they believe”, said the Spaniard, who picked up his first win since taking over as manager on 11 March.
“I think there’s more pressure to fight relegation than to win the league, because you’re playing for so much”. Newcastle have been woeful despite the arrival of Rafael Benitez on his desperate mission to keep them up, while Allardyce’s team have been unable to turn encouraging performances into wins.
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Cattermole, whose position came under fire in the build up to the game, was brilliant – particularly in defence – where he cleared countless balls, and kept a steady head in many anxious moments.
