Sunderland begin critical run of games and want winning start against Leicester

Duncan Watmore says Sunderland are fully aware of the sequence of winnable games this month.
Duncan WatmoreDuncan Watmore
Duncan Watmore

Sunderland face Leicester, Swansea and Watford on consecutive Saturdays this month and all three rate as target matches – starting with tomorrow’s visit of the Premier League champions to the Stadium of Light.

How the Black Cats need as many points as they can get after returning to the basement last weekend.

“We know that as a team,” said the in-form Watmore.

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“We are working hard on the training pitch to make sure we take that momentum from the last few matches, use that in the right way going into challenging these games.

“Ultimately, we are going for wins and that’s how it should be.

“We need to climb the table and everyone at the club is fully focused on that.”

Sunderland are chasing successive home league wins for the first time since May.

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David Moyes’s team had to ride their luck, at times, before pulling clear to beat Hull 3-0 last time at the Stadium of Light.

Watmore is urging patience but add, when the chances come, they must take them.

“It’s important we don’t get too frustrated if it isn’t going too well at the start or certain periods in the game,” said the England U21 star.

“It’s never going to go perfectly for 90 minutes in the Premier League.

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“You just have to be resilient at the times when it is not going well and then, when you get your chance, you have to be clinical, as we were against Hull.”

Watmore has played a key role in the side’s belated return to form, impressing in the victories against Bournemouth and Hull, having assists in both matches.

He also had the best away chance at Liverpool last week, only to take too heavy a touch.

But the 22-year-old is playing well, along with the rest of the players it has to be said.

He feels the side has finally found their Premier legs.

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“Obviously, we didn’t have a very good start to the season and there were a lot of games where we didn’t get the results we wanted,” he said.

“But over the past few games we have turned the corner with back-to-back wins and then the performance at Liverpool.

“Hopefully we can continue that momentum because it is important – we don’t want to make that a one-off.

“We want to carry on and climb the table, which is what we need to do.”

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Last week’s performance was one of the best of the season, even though they did not get the rewards they deserved.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was less than flattering about Sunderland but Watmore says the German’s assessment has not irked them.

“No, I don’t think so,” he replied. “As far as I’m aware, that hasn’t been mentioned.

“We went there to do a job but unfortunately we couldn’t get the result that we wanted and we were disappointed in that respect.”