Sunderland boss delivers interesting verdict on opposition claim his side can be 'bullied' after defeat

Michael Beale admits Sunderland were stung by Sorba Thomas' claim that Huddersfield knew they could 'bully' the Black Cats in midweek, but insists that it is also a mark of their progress since returning to the Championship.

The Huddersfield winger made the claim after the 1-0 win in midweek and while Beale believes his team does not necessarily lack physicality and especially in defence, he said it was up to his players to prove they could stand up to the challenge in the weeks ahead.

"We don't like it but we'll have to take it," Beale said of the comments.

"If that's what people feel we have to get rid of that perception. Teams are thinking they can run after us and press us and we're not up for the fight then we have to respond to that. It's interesting that teams don't want to play a football match against us, they want to get up and at us and I think they've undersold themselves, they were decent on the night.

"I felt in the first half we didn't move the ball quick enough. In midfield I thought we wanted one or two touches too many. If we move the ball quicker and play forward quicker, they're key things. There's no doubting in the midfield battle you have to compete. I didn't see Luke O'Nien or Dan Ballard or Trai Hume or Leo Hjelde get bullied. The flow of the game was open in the second half was open. If another team think they can do that within the realms of the game then we have to respond to that.

"Their coaches mentioned that to one or two of our coaches and I'm not happy about that outlook, but our team have to take it on the chin. I don't think any team will stand off us and let us play lovely football. What teams are realising is if they stand off us they'll have a massive issue. We did really well last year, we're in a really good position and play a certain style of football, teams are going to look at ways to create problems for us. I wouldn't read too much into those comments but we have to show that's not the case.

"I think it's a big compliment first of all," he added.

"Take the bullying word [out of that], that's not a compliment, but why are they trying to do that? People get wise to you in the second season and they might sit a bit deeper or get a bit closer to you, our job then becomes a bit more difficult because you have to think ahead and problem solve. I always felt coming into the club the respect for our team had gone through the roof. When I came here as QPR boss last season, there was that bit of the unknown about the team coming out of League One. By the end of the season I don't think anyone was unaware of the level of talent that we had, and so now there's more problems to solve. There's a lot of respect if Huddersfield feel they have to get tight and play within the edges of the rules. It's up to us to respond."

Beale said he expects a very different game against Tony Mowbray's Birmingham City on Saturday.