Inside track on Gillingham as Sunderland look to get back to winning ways

Four straight league defeats? Supporters describing him as a “clown” and “deluded”?

No problem, it seems, to the Gillingham boss ahead of Parkinson’s visit with Sunderland on Saturday.

The ever outspoken Evans joked “the vultures would be out” following the Gills’ latest setback at Ipswich in midweek.

But Luke Cawdell, sports reporter at Kent Online, is convinced Parkinson remains the manager most under pressure ahead of Saturday’s game at Priestfield.

Gillingham sit 16th in League One, but Cawdell says: “Evans is not under pressure even though they’ve lost their last four.

“Injuries haven’t helped, with the squad having numerous issues since the start of the season.

“But Gills had enough chances to beat Ipswich on Tuesday and can take heart from that performance.”

Those injury issues include the likes of Stuart O’Keefe and Jacob Mellis, who are both out for the season, along with several others including defender Ryan Jackson.

Cawdell pinpoints inexperience – at the back as well as in the absence of midfielders O’Keefe and Mellis - as the greatest threat to Gillingham’s hopes of piling more pressure on Parkinson.

“It’s a young team, and with Jackson likely to be missing through injury there isn’t a lot of experience in defence,” he adds.

“All of the remaining defenders are in their early 20s so I am sure the Sunderland forwards will look to make their experience count.”

But Cawdell believes Evans has the attacking talent at his disposal – particularly if the queue in the treatment room is reduced - to pose Parkinson a problem.

Jordan Graham is the Gills’ top scorer with four goals in six league games after making his move to Priestfield from Wolves permanent this summer.

“He has been the stand-out so far - scoring goals and producing plenty of chances from out wide,” says Cawdell.

“Striker Vadaine Oliver wins almost everything in the air so the hope is he will be fit after recently missing with injury.

“Captain Kyle Dempsey is also back from injury and will be looking to be an influence behind the strikers.”

And Cawdell is certain that the arrival of big-name opposition will inspire a reaction from Evans and his players.

“He will have his team fired up and remind them that they will need to work harder than Sunderland to get anything from the game.

“The last few defeats have been tough but the players remain upbeat.

“I’ll go for 1-1.”