Celtic winger reflects on his Sunderland loan so far, his best display yet and encouraging signs for the Black Cats

In the context of the game itself, Lewis Morgan’s contribution from the bench at Bristol Rovers was not a defining one.
SAFC 2-0 PAFC EFL 1 Stadium of Light 02-03-2019. Picture by FRANK REIDSAFC 2-0 PAFC EFL 1 Stadium of Light 02-03-2019. Picture by FRANK REID
SAFC 2-0 PAFC EFL 1 Stadium of Light 02-03-2019. Picture by FRANK REID

The game was already pretty much wrapped by the time the winger came on.

But the way he took apart the away side on the counter, teeing up Charlie Wyke on three occasions, was a real positive.

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That cameo, alongside some good signs on training pitch, convinced Jack Ross to put him back in the starting XI for the visit of Plymouth and in the first half he was superb.

As at the Memorial Stadium, he constantly beat his marker, cutting a number of dangerous crosses back into the box.

The pressure evenutally told when Lee Cattermole got on the end of one to score and the Black Cats never looked back from there.

The 22-year-old feels he is finding his feet on Wearside and is getting sharper all the time.

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“I’ve come down here to play games, and I fully back myself that I can bring something to the team,” he said.

“I thought I did well in the first half today. Obviously, the game changed a wee bit in the second half, the manager changed the system, but I created the first goal and it’s important to me that I’m adding those assists and goals to my game.

“I’ve come down from Scotland and I’ve not played as much football as I would want this year, so it was always going to take a wee while for me to get going. I think I’m getting back to that match sharpness now. I’m feeling sharp. I’m someone who likes to be direct, so it’s important to get games in my legs and minutes in my legs, and I’ll only keep improving for that.”

Alongside Aiden McGeady, Morgan ensured that Sunderland offered a constant threat in the wide areas, a key part of the manager’s philosophy.

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“That comes from the service we’re getting from all over the pitch,” he said.

“The lads knew we could hurt them from the wide areas. Me and Aiden got a lot of the ball, and we were able to create chances. On another day, we would probably have taken more of them.

“We were really free-flowing in the first half and probably should have added to the one goal that we got. We went into the second period, and teams are always going to have spells in games, but we were resolute and compact, and we weathered that. Then in the end, our quality showed.”

In recent weeks a settled line up has produced good results for Sunderland, and Morgan is hoping to stay in the side.

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After being a key part of the St Mirren side that stormed to the Scottish Championship last season, the winger knows how important momentum can be in the coming weeks and months.

“There’s a core of the team that’s stayed the same, but there’s also a couple of positions that have been up for grabs,” he said.

“I’m one that has come in, and I’m really focused on making sure I keep my place in the team. If I can get an extended run of games, I know I’ll keep improving. Hopefully, we can keep going in the same direction. That’s three wins on the spin now and hopefully we’ll be able to continue that.

“I know what a winning mentality brings, and I know what happens when you win three games on the spin and you’re getting a good run going. When that happens, you’re going into games with your confidence flowing, and more often than not, you’ll keep on building on those positive results. I’ve seen it up the road, when you go on runs like this, you keep on rolling. You just have to make sure you keep turning up and keep winning games.

Ross praised the loanee for his contribution.

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“He was good, he was good last week when he came on,” he said.

“I have a close relationship with him anyway, he has trained really well over the last couple of weeks and he always backs himself and believes he is good enough to play but he has to show that all the time and against Bristol and in the first half showed what he is capable of.

“He is a good player, no doubt about that and the other players recognise that.

“His contribution was good.

“Lewis has played more of his career on the left, he is very two footed. He usually is on the left but we obviously have a player on that side of the pitch that is in very good form.”