The inside track on this impressive Sunderland defensive statistic - which has been nine months in the making

For Sunderland’s now-settled back three of Jordan Willis, Tom Flanagan and Bailey Wright that statistic makes for some happy reading.

In the three games in which the trio have featured, they have kept out Hull City in the Carabao Cup and Oxford United in the league – thwarting two sides with genuine promotion hopes.

And the one goal they have conceded in League One came from the penalty spot after a brief lapse in concentration from Lee Burge.

It’s a record that has been nine months in the making.

Ever since Wright arrived on Wearside, foundations have been building. Partnerships have been developed and relationships forged.

The trio have made the starting spots in Phil Parkinson’s 3-4-1-2 system their own and, after chopping and changing their defensive line-up for much of their time in League One, Sunderland finally have a settled backline.

Now, the Black Cats are reaping the benefits of that.

"I think stability is important,” explains Wright.

"From when I came in on loan first of all, we started building partnerships and relationships on the pitch and off the pitch, which I think is important.

"We've got a great group of lads here, a great atmosphere and a great culture and that runs off the pitch. That helps get the best out of yourself and the best out of your teammates and that's important, certainly when defending.

"But whoever comes in and has that shirt, we've got real competition for places which is also the key to success.

"You know if you're not at it then someone else can easily take your shirt wherever that is on the pitch.

"We have a good culture, a good group of lads on and off the pitch, and we all want the same thing.

“If you take out the penalties out of those games, then it's been clean sheets and we've kept our confidence and our plan,” he continued.

"Every day we come in and have the same philosophies we want to work on and that doesn't change game to game, it's very much for the whole season.”

The backline are under no illusions to the fact that more testing games will soon come their way. Indeed, the visit of Peterborough United and their array of attacking talents on Saturday will be as stern a defensive test as the Black Cats will face over the course of the campaign.

But that won’t stop Wright and his teammates targeting another clean sheet

“In football you're going to concede goals throughout a season, of course.

“But if you're going to keep clean sheets as much as you can, then of course you're going to give a platform to the quality we've got.

"I'd back us to score in every single game we play so if we can keep a clean sheet and do our jobs it's going to give us a great platform to go into games. But we have to be ready to rebuild and take on the next challenge.”

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