‘Surprised a few’: Sunderland coach delivers honest verdict as side are rewarded with play-off fixture

Sunderland’s under-21s side will host Wolves in the Premier League 2 play-offs after finishing seventh in the 26-team competition.

Back-to-back wins over Liverpool and Blackburn secured Sunderland’s place in the play-offs, with the top 16 teams qualifying for the knockout stages. Graeme Murty’s side have also qualified for next season’s International Cup after finishing inside the top 12.

The Premier League 2 play-offs are decided by where teams finish in the table, with first-place Tottenham set to play 16th-place Aston Villa, while second place West Ham will face 15th-place Blackburn. Sunderland will host Wolves, who finished 10th, with the tie set to be played at Eppleton CW on Monday, May 6 (2pm kick-off).

If Sunderland beat Wolves, the young Black Cats will face either West Ham or Blackburn in the quarter-finals, which would take place between Friday, May 10 and Monday, May 13. The final of the competition is set to be played between Friday, May 24 and Monday, May 27. If ties are level after 90 minutes, games will go to extra-time and penalties.

Reaching the knockout stages is an impressive achievement for Sunderland, who were playing in Premier League 2, Division 2, before the change of format for this season’s competition.

“I think with a group of players who are playing really their first year in this competition, we have really quite a young team,” Murty told the Echo. “I think when you see us physically we’re are a little bit immature. But they are brave, they are technically good and we’ve surprised a few people this year.

“I think really importantly the players have surprised themselves, so now they expect a little bit more from themselves than they did previously. Not only are they expecting it but they are really working hard to match that aspiration and I think that’s the important part.

“We will always be a club that holds youth players in high regard, we will always be a team that is promoting and pushing them through, and they know they have to go and perform. Having that little bit of pressure, whether it’s internal or external I think has been a really good thing for the players this year. Playing against better opposition has helped their development and speeded it up I think.”