Fresh injury blow a major concern for promotion-chasing Sunderland

For some, there were the positives.
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Sunderland dominated for large parts at the Valley and played some impressive football on Nathan Broadhead’s perhaps-surprising return to action, while the Black Cats kept a second successive clean sheet on the road.

But, for others, there were the negatives.

For a team that has desperate aspirations of promotion, a point against a side, winless in their last five and goalless in their last three, was simply not good enough and the injury to Alex Pritchard late on in the second half didn’t help their cause.

Sunderland forward Ross Stewart.Sunderland forward Ross Stewart.
Sunderland forward Ross Stewart.
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Before last weekend’s victory against Wigan, Sunderland were struggling: their promotion hopes in absolute tatters.

While nearly two weeks on from the draw against Burton, the Black Cats have claimed four points from six, and mentality-wise have had a major confidence boost, and are beginning to play in the Alex Neil-way, but as an outsider, his side are arguably, somehow, in a worse position.

And with only 10 matches of the season left, Alex Neil knows he has a task on his hands to cement a play-off place come April 30th.

Without his key man, Pritchard, for a period of time, that task is going to be even harder.

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Neil labelled the influential midfielder as “fundamental” to his plans, but without him, the Black Cats are going to have a massive chunk of creativity absent for the final run-in.

But, on Saturday, it was the lack of quality that was removed from Sunderland’s attacking push. And it’s something that needs re-finding, quickly.

With the play-off places slowly drifting further and further away, the situation becomes more desperate.

To see this season as another that goes astray for Sunderland would be a complete disaster.

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From a position of top of the league heading into 2022 to being outside the play-offs at the beginning of March, it’s looking increasing likely that this is a heavy possibility.

And if this possibility becomes a reality for this football club with such a rich history of a higher level, the effects would be collateral and titanic.

For this club to experience a fifth season in the third tier would have devastating consequences, but after this latest frustrating afternoon, the negatives will no doubt outweigh the positives.

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