Sunderland duo reflect on key partnership ahead of Championship return

Millwall are the visitors to the Stadium of Light on December 3 and Tony Mowbray will be hoping his Sunderland side build on the victory over Birmingham City before the break.

And a key partnership for Mowbray of late has been the one at the heart of his defence; Bailey Wright alongside Danny Batth.

But with Wright currently in Qatar with the Australia national side, then it is at least one change that Mowbray is likely to make at the heart of his defence ahead of the visit of Millwall, with Australia not playing their final World Cup group game until Wednesday afternoon.

The duo have been reflecting on their impressive partnership in recent games.

Wright has recently re-established his centre-back partnership with Batth, after the pair performed well together at the end of last season and played in the play-off final at Wembley.

“Me and Dan have played together last season and formed a really good partnership,” says Wright.

“I think first and foremost he’s a great person and a good bloke, an honest character and someone you’d take to war with you. You’d 100 per cent want him on your side.

“Playing alongside him we talk, we see the game similar and we compliment each other in many ways in the way we talk and try and control those in front of us.

“It’s always a joy to play alongside him, or Luke at right-back, Patto in goal I think is growing and growing, and Denns.

“As a team we want to build those partnerships with twos and fours, as a back four, two centre-halves. I think off the pitch we have good relationships and on the pitch.

“Of course we know each others’ games from last year and we obviously haven’t played much together this year. I think the game against Luton was probably the first game me and Dan have started together since Wembley.

“We train every day together so we know each other well for sure.”

Wright’s return to the side and aerial presence has helped the Black Cats from set pieces, with Batth recognising that was a potential weakness.

“We obviously did well at the back end of last season,” replied Batth when asked about his partnership with Wright. “You are going to get asked different questions in every game.

“I think me and Bails have got a good understanding, we communicate well, we are experienced both of us.

“You look at us from set pieces, we had a few of our bigger players out and Bails adds that to the backline.

“I think perhaps when we haven’t got the size in the rest of the team and there is a bit of an imbalance teams will target that.

“I love playing with Bails, he’s a great lad and a really good pro who has had to be patient to get in the team.”