Adil Aouchiche of Sunderland is playing in the Sky Bet Championship match between Sunderland and Queens Park Rangers at the Stadium Of Light in Sunderland, on March 16, 2024. (Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Wilson Isidor prediction & Stoke boss makes Sunderland claim.
PATRICK Roberts has backed Wilson Isidor to kick on and keep Sunderland firing in the Championship promotion race after the striker ended his wait for a goal.
Isidor had failed to hit the net in seven successive games for the Black Cats but brought that stretch to an end in brilliant fashion with a clever backheel in the Boxing Day draw at Blackburn.
Boss Regis Le Bris never doubted Isidor and repeatedly pointed out that the striker was still offering an awful lot to his Sunderland side despite his lack of of goals.
And the head coach’s faith was rewarded with Isidor’s classy finish against Rovers.
Now, Roberts fancies the loanee to go on a goalscoring run like he did earlier in the season.
“He’s got that in him,” said the winger.
“He’s a great striker. We have a few good strikers and they’re all different. He’s a real threat all the time, he’s always running behind.
“Blackburn tried to shut him down but in the second half there was more space. It was a great finish in the box and hopefully that will do him the world of good.”
Sunderland head for the struggling Potters on a five-match unbeaten stretch but they’ve conceded first in all of those games, something Roberts says the Black Cats have to put right.
“We had the opposite problem at the start of the year when we were starting really fast and were a bit slower in the second half,” he said.
“We have to try and start games better, that’s what we need to take out of the last couple of weeks. We have two big games coming up and have to put it right.
“We’re halfway through now. We need to go and get three points and use our squad.
“The manager will emphasise that. We all need to step up as a team and start games better. That will be a big talking point for us going into the next few games.
“But picking up points is the most important thing. We’d love to start and finish the game really strong, but as long as we’re creating chances, scoring goals and picking up points, that’s what matters.”
Tomorrow’s opponents Stoke are winless in nine games and the pressure is mounting on Narcis Pelach, who has only been in the job since September. The Potters were booed off on Boxing Day after their 2-0 home defeat to Leeds United.
But Pelach is backing his side to bounce back against the Black Cats.
He said: “It’s very important that we have to put this to bed quickly. At the end of the day, Leeds United is a team out of our league and that is the reality. You are going to win one in 10 against them.
“Sunderland is a different team, a different side. We played against them and lost 2-1 but we were there until the end of the game and I feel we can win. We have to prepare as well as we can and forget about what has happened today because the energy and effort was there. That’s the minimum we have to make sure was there then focus on the next one.”
Sunderland will again be without Dan Ballard at the bet365 Stadium.
