Sunderland AFC news: Alex Pritchard, Patrick Roberts and Aji Alese latest ahead of Luton play-off match

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Tony Mowbray’s pre-match press conference ahead of Tuesday’s huge play-off semi-final second leg against Luton.

The Black Cats have a 2-1 lead following the first leg at the Stadium of Light, yet they are set to face a difficult task at Kenilworth Road.

Sunderland head coach Tony Mowbray is set to hold his pre-match press conference at 12pm today. We’ll have live updates from the Academy of Light as he speaks to the media.

Sunderland still have several injury issues going into the second leg.

Dennis Cirkin missed Saturday’s first leg with an ankle injury and will also be sidelined for tomorrow’s match.

Dan Ballard also remains unavailable, along with Ross Stewart, Elliot Embleton, Corry Evans, Danny Batth and Jewison Bennette.

Alex Pritchard was forced off in the closing stages of Saturday’s match but spoke to the media after the match, saying: “We just have to see tomorrow and go from there really. There’s nothing really I can say on it.”

Patrick Roberts also limped off in the final few minutes of the first leg and will be assessed.

Aji Alese has an outside chance of making the squad after being sidelined for several weeks with a thigh injury.

We’ll get a further update from Mowbray later today.

“I think the team are good and in good spirits.

“We believe we can compete against anybody in the league.

“I think this game against a team that finished 11 points ahead of us, third in the league, they have been growing their club for the past three or four years.

“They have an experienced group of players and are very together. I think we did amazing to come out on top in the first game.

“I’m not anticipating too much different the second game. It’s a tighter environment of course. They might double down on what they do and how they play.

“We have to do the same really. We don’t have plan B really, putting a quick guy up top and turning them round and playing in behind.

“What gives us a lot of confidence is that we generally have scored a lot of goals this season without a centre-forward.

“I think the team feel they are going to score. We’ll be going to try and win the football match and be positive.”

“I think adversity is a strong bonder of players.

“A lot of these players have got strong mindsets, want to improve, want to get better.

“There is always a positive to come out of a negative.

“Lynden Gooch played on the left as a back three, it’s a big call, but the lad, a bit like Lukr O’Nien, is desperate to play.

“It’s the same with Goochy, he’ll play anywhere. He’s driven, he’s motived, he’s committed. He did very well the other day.”

“I remember Trai coming to see me the first month or so I was here and asking if he’d get a chance.

“The team were functioning alright and I said he had to be patient and wait for his opportunity. I could see he was a good player in training, he has lots of good attributes.

“Once he got his opportunity he’s never looked back.He’s been an ever-present in the team

“Another great lad really. There are lots of these characters you can depend on.

“Whatever you ask of them they embrace it and give it their very best.”

“What I do know is it’s a Premier League club in everything but.

“You have to earn the right to get in the Premier League, you have to have good enough footballers to win games and get in the Premier League.

“Regarding the stadium, the fanbase, the enthusiasm, the atmosphere they can create it’s Premier League all day long.

“We collectively on the pitch have to try and give them that back really, but nobody is going to hand it to you, you have to earn it.”

“I’m very respectful of Luton. Having played against them for the last four or five years with Blackburn, you can see their growth really.

“I think they are at that point now, play-offs last year, play-offs this year.

“They look strong and athletic and confident to me. They get the ball in your box and flood the box full of players.

“They can all run back and do their jobs, it’s a tough football match for us and we have to really take care of the ball and play in the right spaces on the pitch.”

“Pritchard and Roberts are touch and go I would suggest.

“They both might make it, they both might not make it. I sit here today not knowing.

“One of them trained today, one of them didn’t. Let’s see if there’s a reaction.

“Alese trained today which is good. I discussed maybe he’ll be on the bench.

“A 6 ft 3 kid you can run all day, whether we get him on the pitch if they’re chasing a goal it would be good to have someone to try and head it out.

“We are not too far away from what we were the other day.”

“You have to play to your strengths really rather than getting sucked into a game that doesn’t suit you.

“The difficulty of this match of course is the intensity, the importance and urgency of it. There’s a danger you get sucked into a fight where you are probably getting out punched.

“We have to stay calm, try and play our game, play in the space, move the ball.

“As I said we take some confidence that we generally score a goal or two in football matches.”