Graeme Murty spoke about injuries, playing style and Sunderland’s European test after the Newcastle draw

Sunderland coach Graeme Murty has offered a detailed update on the fitness of key players, the club’s footballing principles and preparations for an important European fixture, following his side’s Premier League 2 draw with Newcastle United.

Murty confirmed that midfielder Elias Lenz is edging closer to a return, while also addressing the progress of longer-term absentees such as Luke Bell. “Yeah, they’re getting close. Elias is now back in training. He’s obviously modified, so we have to make sure we’re really diligent again with our approach and give him what he needs, which can be difficult with our sports science group and our medical group being brilliant at giving us exactly what we have as per parameters for his loading.

“He’s been really diligent in his work, and we, once again, same as with our G, we hope that all the guys who are rehabbing currently take this time to maximise their improvements to body, maximise their opportunity to help any areas of growth they may have.

“We hope that when they step in for a pitch, they can let go of a lot of the competition and try and make it as fun for them as we can. But we know that we have to be the adults in the room because they’re really keen and they want to do more than possibly we allow them at times.”

Sunderland conceded the equaliser against Newcastle after attempting to play out from the back, a moment that reflected the club’s wider footballing philosophy – something Murty was keen to address head-on. “We give goals away playing out from the back because we demand our centre-halves feed the midfield. We demand that our goalkeeper looks into the pitch rather than just going off.

“I take all of the blame for every goal we’ve given away doing that because it’s what I demand the players do. When they execute it, and it comes off, it’s really good. When they don’t quite execute it, and it costs us something, we have to then use that as a really, really good teaching opportunity. But, once again, my staff and I demand that they are brave enough to go and play, so I can’t be too mad when it goes awry.”

Asked whether that approach comes directly from him or from higher up within the club, Murty explained that it is a consistent principle across Sunderland. “Everyone at the football club will know that we demand our players play in a certain manner and a certain style. That has centre-halves with the ability, the capacity and the bravery to play the ball into midfield.

“We have midfield players who are brave enough to come and get the ball under pressure and be able to play through. The only way we’re going to develop that is to go and do it in a contest like this. The fact that they’re brave enough to do it is great. The fact that they’ve missed the execution just means I have to teach them better.”

Attention now turns to Sunderland’s next fixture, with Borussia Dortmund visiting the Stadium of Light in the Premier League International Cup on Wednesday. A victory would see the Black Cats qualify from the group stage of the competition.

“I’ll let them get over this one because this is a big game for them. We’ll get it properly, and then we’ll start to look at Dortmund. The guys haven’t looked too far ahead, which is good. But once we know our team selection and the group that we have, we’ll start to plot that.

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“The staff will get together and look at Dortmund, and then we’ll craft it from there. It might be a case where we have to rein the players in a little bit. But these guys generally approach every game really, really well. We’re looking forward to a good test and we’re looking forward to a good challenge.

“We can’t wait to welcome them into the North East because learning from them and having a relationship with them is something that this club and the academy will benefit from. If we can forge that relationship through a good game and a good contest and the manner in which we host, I think that we will all benefit from it.”

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