Alex Neil's message to his Sunderland players as Cats step up preparations for MK Dons test

The Black Cats have won just one of their last eight games and lost significant ground in the race for automatic promotion in recent weeks.

In fact, there are growing concerns about Sunderland’s place in the top six, as teams behind them have games in hand.

Neil was only appointed as the club’s new head coach on Friday and had a 40-minute training session to work with his players before the trip to Plough Lane.

“I thought there were moments but we need more than that,” said Neil after the match.

“I said to the lads afterwards, this is where our lowest ebb is if you like. We now need to go on, improve and get better, which is not easy but we’ll do everything we can to do that.”

Neil also highlighted that some of the younger players looked ‘dead on their feet’ after playing continuously during the first half of the campaign.

Other members of the squad, such as January signings Jermain Defoe and Patrick Roberts, have hardly played this season and are, as a result, short of match fitness.

“I had a 40-minute session to try and bed in how we were going to play,” added Neil

“I was even trying to get their names right, which was a test. I don’t think that will be a fair reflection of hopefully how we try and play going forward.

“The one thing I will say is that I thought we worked hard in the game, but we have a mixture of not fit enough and probably too tired.

“That’s a really difficult balance to try and strike so it is something I’m going to have to try and make sure I get right.”

Neil should be helped by a full week on the training pitches at the Academy of Light as the side prepare for Saturday’s home game against MK Dons.

The Dons have played the same number of games as Sunderland but have two more points and sit third in the League One table.

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