Gus Poyet insisted Sunderland now needed a miracle to escape relegation. Win against Cardiff on Sunday and I believe they will go on to pull off a truly miraculous recovery. Just 10 days ago, they were seven points from safety, with away games to come at Manchester City and Chelsea. Nobody expected them to gain anything from those matches but they came away with four points and were only denied all six by a late Samir Nasri goal. If Sunderland, rooted to the bottom of the table, can go to Chelsea, win and take away Jose Mourinho's 77-game unbeaten home run, then truly anything can happen in this league. They now seem to have a renewed belief that they can pull off one of the greatest escapes in Premier League history. When Paolo Di Canio was sacked in September, Sunderland were bottom of the league with just a single point. Poyet came in and did a fine job getting them out of trouble and led them on two remarkable cup runs. But when they reached the Capital One Cup final, I wrote in this column that they must beware of a 'double dip' into the relegation zone. Just when you think you have done enough to get out of trouble, you are suddenly right back in the scrap. That's exactly what happened. After back-to-back losses in the League Cup final and the FA Cup quarter-final in March, they lost five of their next six league games. Success in the cups did not carry over into the league and they tumbled back down the table. When you have fought so hard to get out of trouble once, it is difficult to find the energy and the spirit to do it all over again. But somehow Poyet has fired up his side for one last charge. Those results have almost come from nowhere, as have Connor Wickham's goals. He did well on loan at Sheffield Wednesday this season but Poyet was right to bring him back and give him a chance. The young striker has repaid that faith with some vital goals. Sunderland's home games against Cardiff, West Brom and Swansea all look winnable and six points from them could be enough to survive. Each game will feel like a cup tie but given how Sunderland have performed in the cups this season that is no bad thing. Poyet has been able to recapture the positivity of those runs, take them over into the league and now they have to match that intensity in their final four games. The great escape is definitely on.
A good write up by the fella. Nails it. Cup game mentality should suit us down to the ground....lets stuff the welsh on sunday.
Especially as three of these "cup games" are at home. Our cup record this season is pretty good at home!!
Exactly fella. Gutted i'm not there, and that i have to wait til tomorrow for kick off. Chomping at the bit to get stuck into this game.
.prayed to god ,...alla..............buda.......and any fekker who might listen to me to grant us a win, hope the pope is watching and gives us a special mention in his mass
All we have to do is win against Cardiff then beat West Brom & we are home free, that's all we have to do!
