Man City and England star Kyle Walker details traumatising Sunderland situation before Stadium of Light clash

Manchester City and England star Kyle Walker has revealed some interesting details surrounding Tottenham’s clash with Sunderland in 2011.

During a Stadium of Light classic in the Premier League, Steve Bruce’s men defeated Harry Redknapp’s team 3-1 to dent Spurs’ Champions League ambitions. Incredibly, Cats striker Darren Bent saw two penalties saved by keeper Heurelho Gomes while still managing to net a brace on the day.

Bolo Zenden netted Sunderland’s third goal with a memorable volley with Peter Crouch on the scoresheet for Tottenham. A young Kyle Walker started at right-back for Tottenham at the Stadium of Light for the clash with Russian forward Roman Pavlyuchenko getting the not up front.

13 years later, however, Walker has revealed some interesting details surrounding Tottenham’s journey from London to the North East for the fixture with Pavlyuchenko refusing to fly home with his teammates after the fame owing to a turbulent flight on the way there.

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“Pavlyuchenko hated flying,” Walker told his BBC podcast. “You're playing Sunderland, you leave at Stanstead, you take off, you go up and we got close to Sunderland, so pilot switched on the seatbelt signs. I think, so what he was saying to us when we land, a plane must have come above us, and I promise you, the plane just nosedived. Airbags come out, everything, like vertically. 

“Luckily the pilot was good at his job and pulled it back round, and we played the game, can't remember if we, I think we actually lost. Guys were traumatised from the flight, and Pavlyuchenko refused to get on the flight back home. Touch wood, that's the only problem that I've ever witnessed on a flight.”