Ex-Sunderland loanee says relegation was no coincidence after his departure

Yann M'Vila has boldly claimed that Sunderland's relegation from the Premier League was no coincidence given his exit from the club.

The 32-year-old spent a memorable season at the Black Cats, as he helped guide the side to Premier League survival during the 2015-16 campaign.

He featured 40 times for the Wearsiders during his year in the North East, netting once, a free-kick against Aston Villa in the league. However, after Sunderland declined to take up an option to make the deal a permanent one, M’Vila left England and returned to Rubin Kazan.

The Black Cats were then relegated from the Premier League the following season under David Moyes, ending the club's ten-season stay in the top-flight of English football with M'Vila going on to play for Inter Milan, Saint-Étienne and Olympiacos.

"If out of 140 games, I play 120 starting games and the others were to rest, it means that I am important," M'Vila said, speaking to Goal. "If you do not understand you do not know football.

"Same in Manchester City games, when Kyle Walker goes into the centre line to create a surplus, people don't see it, you have to look in depth at those who do the work behind the scenes.

"I know that I do this job and that's why the coaches make me play. That's also why I know I'm important. When I left Sunderland they went down. When I left Saint-Etienne, they came down. When I left the Rubin Kazan, they came down. I don't see it as a coincidence."