'I don't want us to give them that boost': Max Power's strong message as Sunderland head to Hull City

The Black Cats head to Humberside looking to end their three-game winless run in League One – where they will meet a side who can all-but seal promotion with victory.

And while the Tigers may be preparing for a promotion party at the KCOM Stadium, Power is determined to see his side go and secure a much-needed result ahead of what looks set to be another play-off campaign.

"I’m sure Hull will be looking at it and thinking they're nearly there and over the line,” he said.

"I don't want us to give them that boost. We need to make it as hard as possible and the way we can do that is by going there and trying to get a result.

“I think what's important for us now is to put other scenarios out of our head and focus on getting that winning formula back,” continued the Sunderland skipper.

"If we end up in the play-off route we need to head into that in a good frame of mind. We've won at Wembley once this season and if it takes that this season, I'm confident in the lads we've got in the dressing room that we can come through this bad spell and end the season in a good frame of mind.”

This always looked set to be a pivotal fixture, especially a fortnight ago when Sunderland’s promotion hopes remained in their own hands.

And while there is a disappointment at how things have slipped away from the Wearsiders over the last two weeks, Power says there is little time to linger as the club prepare for their final five league fixtures.

"I’m not going to mask it, it's disappointing where we've found ourselves in three games,” he admitted.

"But that shows how quickly football can turn. Credit to Peterborough and Hull, they've got results when we haven't.

"Unfortunately for us we've come up short in the last three games and it's important now we try and get that winning formula back as soon as possible.”

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