Noz loves Jonny OK
Sunderland's Football League-winning centre-back pairing was reunited in Sunday's 2-0 home win over Portsmouth.
And Nosworthy says the old double act will do everything to fend off the strong competition boss Roy Keane now has in defence.
Top sport stories...
- Reading deny Lita link.
- Gary Rowell column.
- Sunderland favourites for Roberts.
- Latest transfer rumours.
- Sunderland 2 Portsmouth 0 VIDEO highlights.
The former Gillingham defender said: "It was like Jonny was never away. We slotted back in together and the old understanding seems to be there still.
"The partnership we had last season was great. We hit it off quite quickly and went on from there. The Premier League asks tougher questions of us, but it helps that we have played quite a few games together.
"Partnerships are important and we had a settled back four in the second half of last season, which I think helped us. But Jonny and I know that we can't rest on our laurels because Danny Higginbotham and Paul McShane will be doing everything to get back into the side.
"It's a cliche but it's true that competition is great for all of us and should bring more from the team."
Nosworthy was playing his first Premier League game since suffering a hamstring injury in the home draw with Newcastle on November 10 while Evans, back on Wearside for a second loan spell, was involved in the first Premier League game of his career.
And Nosworthy said he felt much better – physically and mentally – at the end of Sunday's victory than he did in his comeback game against Wigan the weekend before, when Sunderland were beaten 3-0 in the FA Cup third round.
He said: "I was struggling in the Wigan game. I didn't feel sharp at all and I was as disappointed as anyone about the result. It's amazing what an extra week's training does to bring your fitness on and I've had two full games now so my match fitness is getting there.
"If I'm involved at Spurs this weekend, it's another step forward. We've got our home form back on track against Portsmouth and now we need to sort things out away because we've not collected enough points."
Sunderland have not won away from home, sharing the Premier League's worst record with doomed Derby, who have also lost nine of their 11 games on the road.
Email to a friend
Print this page- Sunderland striker Campbell fresh to face Middlesbrough
- Sunderland’s astonishing rise even surprising Martin O’Neill
- Middlesbrough 1 Sunderland 2 (aet): O’Neill relieved to avoid shoot-out lottery as Sessegnon wins it
- Martin O’Neill defends David Meyler after criticism from Tony Pulis
- Kieran Richardson says there is plenty more to come from James McClean
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sunderland
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -3 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South west
