'Hopefully': Mel Reay gives a Sunderland transfer update ahead of exciting Manchester United clash

Sunderland boss Mel Reay says the club are not quite finished in the January window after completing the loan signing of talented defender Esther Morgan.
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Morgan has joined from Tottenham Hotspur women until the end of the season, adding additional competition in defence following Faye Mullen's ACL injury earlier this season.

Morgan is the club's second addition of the window after striker Liz Ejupi joined on a permanent deal earlier this month. Her impact has been instant and significant, helping the side to crucial league wins over Durham and Birmingham City.

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"Myself and Steph have got a really good relationship with Rehanne [Skinner] and Vicky [Jepson] at Tottenham and we had the conversation that Esther might be available for loan," Reay told The Echo.

Sunderland boss Mel ReaySunderland boss Mel Reay
Sunderland boss Mel Reay

"We looked into it and felt it was a really good fit, she's a young player and a full international with Wales. With the injury we've had to Faye Mullen, Esther just gives us that added depth in the full back area.

"We're still looking to strengthen, there are still a couple of things on the table and hopefully one of those will come off. We have got a competitive squad now and it's just about having that strength in depth in every position between now and the end of the season."

Sunderland welcome WSL leaders Manchester United in the FA Cup on Sunday, with a sell-out crowd of almost 2,000 expected at Eppleton.

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Though the scale of the challenge is obvious Sunderland can go into the game with confidence, having won four of their last five games across all competitions.

After a tough start to the season, Reay says her team are beginning to get the rewards for their efforts.

"The players are starting to get their rewards for their application," Reay said.

"We showed a lot of resilience against Durham to come back from behind twice, and to get a winner with two minutes to go... there's no better feeling. Especially for Katy [Watson], for her and family, and she's done that twice for us this season.

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"Then we went to Birmingham, who beat us heavily at the Stadium of Light early in the season and to be honest that still hurts. We wanted to put that right and I thought we were excellent from start to finish, by far our best performance of the season. The control we showed, the application in both boxes, it was first class.

"We are all in football for moments like this, fixtures with a real buzz where the ground is full to the brim.

"The team are excited and there's no pressure on them, but with the run they're on we all want to win. We'll address it like every other game, set up in a way where we think we can be hard to beat and pose a threat where we can.

"These fixtures are about [who produces] on the day and hopefully the crowd can play a big part for us like they did against Durham."