'It happened on the coach to us last year'': Tom Flanagan reveals the extra precautions Sunderland are taking to prevent Covid-19 outbreak

Several EFL fixtures have been postponed due to positive tests among some squads, yet the Black Cats have managed to play through the Christmas period.

Sunderland’s home game against Fleetwood, scheduled to be played on January 2, has been postponed, though, due to Covid cases in the visitors’ camp.

It comes after Monday’s 3-0 win at Doncaster moved Sunderland up to second in the table, and Flanagan believes the extra precautions have helped.

“We’ve had two meetings at the club and a Zoom call one evening with various people about what to do and what not to do,” he told the Echo.

“It’s just being sensible, especially over the Christmas period, having family come up or over from abroad, just ask them to test.

“Obviously we have had some cases but because the protocols are so strict at the minute and we are all sticking to it we are all in a good place.”

Last season Sunderland were hit by a Covid outbreak and forced to play a depleted side against Wimbledon, before seeing games called off.

“It hasn’t spread like that,” recalled Flanagan. “Like we saw last year it can spread in a matter of hours. It happened on the coach to us and then that was it.

“We have made a real concerted effort and to be honest we are still hurting from when the season got cut short and we fell out of the play-offs because of it.

“We don’t want that to happen again and if that is the case, which I really don’t think it will be, we want to win as many games and get as many points as possible.”

“We have changed where we do the team meetings now so we do it in the indoor 3D pitch, so it’s us sitting on a big 11-aside pitch with a big screen.

“It’s enormous so it’s kind of a bit of overkill because we are shouting at each other to have a conversation.

“That is where we are at and as long as we keep games on that is brilliant.”

After failing to capitalise on games in hand during previous seasons, Flanagan now hopes Sunderland can benefit from playing matches as other teams have games called off.

While the Fleetwood match has been postponed, the Black Cats’ fixture against Sheffield Wednesday on Thursday is set to go ahead as planned.

“I think if you are a team with Covid you are relieved that your game is off but if you’re one of the teams who hasn't got it and your game is called off you are ready to be playing games,” Flanagan added.

“I think the lads are dynamic so maybe it’s time for us to really kick on now and get a grip of the league and say to everyone else this is where we are.

“We have to be consistent and I think that’s been the key feature is the consistency within the group.”

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