Tony Mowbray sends clear rotation message in big Sunderland team selection hints

The Black Cats are back in Championship action when they face Reading at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon, just days after another intense FA Cup game against Fulham.

They then continue to play Saturday-Tuesday for another fortnight in a crucial run of games as they look to maintain their position within striking distance of the play-offs.

Mowbray says that means he will have to have difficult conversations over the coming weeks as players drop in and out of the side, and is hoping that he has got the message across that it isn't to be taken personally.

"I target the next game but I'm very mindful of Tuesday night," Mowbray admitted on Friday afternoon.

"If I leave out one or two players from the other night, then I'm already telling them that they have a very good chance of starting on Tuesday. I find it very difficult when you have certain players, because we get all the data about how much they cover, how much high-intensity running they do, and you have to be mindful of not breaking players down.

"If you don't think there's much between a couple of players in terms of quality levels, then there's no problem in changing them to protect them. They get 20 minutes at the end, maybe, then it switches over and you hope they understand that it's your job.

"It's a difficult conversation sometimes with young players, that they're not getting dropped, it's rest. You're trying to explain that it will benefit the team in the long term if they sit on the bench, then maybe they can come on and affect the game and then start the next one."

Alex Pritchard is one player who might suffer some short-term frustration. The experienced playmaker has made big contributions against both Millwall and Fulham since returning from a calf problem, but is still waiting for his return to the starting XI.

Mowbray has told the player that this is merely a matter of time.

"Pritch is a very important player for this football club - I was sat chatting with him in my office yesterday," Mowbray said.

"He's very good out of possession, he understands the game and has a real good football brain. In possession we can play him anywhere really, he can drop in alongside Dan [Neil] or push him up alongside Amad, or even out wide.

"I've told him not to worry, he's fit and ready to go but understands what Amad has done, what Patrick Roberts has done, that Jack Clarke has got a couple of goals. Joffy is going to play up front.. he's got to be patient. The team is functioning pretty well but we need everybody because that rotation is going to come over these three-game weeks. He'll be eased back in and then it might be someone else who is wondering why they aren't in the team."