EFL pundit and former Sunderland striker gives verdict on Black Cats League One rivals Portsmouth as ex-Manchester United trainee is aiming high at Wigan Athletic

The Black Cats met the R’s in 2016’s competition at the same venue where two goals from Paddy McNair were enough to see the Wearsiders through to the fourth round.

Lee Johnson’s side will be looking to bounce back following Saturday’s League One defeat to Charlton Athletic at the Stadium of Light.

It forms part of another busy week for the Black Cats who return to League One duty against promotion rivals Rotherham United on Saturday.

But ahead of that, we round-up what’s been happening at the Stadium of Light and around League One today.

Former Cats striker believes top two spot has gone for League One rivals

Sky Sports EFL pundit, and former Sunderland striker, Don Goodman believes Sunderland’s League One rivals Portsmouth have already lost out on an automatic promotion spot come the end of the season.

Speaking on the latest episode of the EFL podcast Goodman gave an honest assessment of Pompey’s season to date and how the pressure is on for boss Danny Cowley at Fratton Park.

Pompey are already 14 points adrift of second placed Wycombe Wanderers with just 16 points from their opening 14 games of the season.

Meanwhile Cowley’s side are just four points above the League One drop zone heading into Saturday’s meeting with Bolton Wanderers.

And Goodman said: “The pressure is on [Cowley]. If you’re Portsmouth in League One you are expected to be up there.

“Now the top-two ship, that’s already sailed.

“Clearly a play-off push was the aim of the Cowley brothers and was the aim of the hierarchy at Portsmouth.

“There is no getting away from what the ambition has to be if you’re Portsmouth in League One.”

Latics stopper aiming high

Wigan Athletic goalkeeper Ben Amos sees no reason why his side can’t be the next example of a club able to climb up through the divisions from League One to the Premier League.

Amos joined the Latics from Charlton in the summer and has gone on to make seven clean sheets in 13 appearances at the DW Stadium.

And speaking with Wigan Today, the 31-year-old believes he made the right choice in joining Leam Richardson’s side.

“I’m really enjoying it, and I think if you asked any of the players – even those who aren’t starting at the moment – if they’re enjoying it here, they’d all say the same,” said Amos.

“We’ve got such a great group of lads here, the staff, the management, everyone’s together as one. And that’s a big plus when you’re all working hard towards the same goal.

“After speaking to several clubs, I just felt like this club had all the ingredients for success.”

And Amos believes that success could go as far as seeing the Latics return to the Premier League.

“There’s been countless clubs in recent years go up from League One to the Premier League.

“Look at Sheffield United, who played in the Premier League and stayed up with most of the team who had won promotion from League One.

“We’ve got so much belief and so much ambition here to push on as high as we can, and I’m certainly no different.”

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