What Sunderland's possible play-off opponents are saying about the top six race

Sunderland have already secured their place in the Championship play-offs - but the Black Cats are still waiting discover who they will face in the semi-final next month.

Despite a recent run of underwhelming form since they officially claimed fourth place in the table with a goalless draw at Norwich City earlier this month, Regis Le Bris’ side have already surpassed expectations this season and their hopes of ending Sunderland’s eight-year absence from the Premier League remain alive. There is one last opportunity to pick up some momentum ahead of the play-offs as Queens Park Rangers bring down the curtain on the regular season at the Stadium of Light on Saturday lunchtime.

Following that game, the next time the Black Cats walk out in front of the Wearside faithful will be the home leg of their play-off semi-final - and Le Bris and his players will discover who will provide the opposition and stand in their way as they look to move within 90 minutes of a place at Wembley. However, that will all become clear on Saturday as Bristol City, Coventry City, Millwall, Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough fight it out to join Sunderland and Sheffield United in the four play-off places - but what are their managers saying ahead of a nerve-shredding final day of the season?

What have other managers said about the race for the Championship play-offs?

Chris Wilder (Sheffield United)

Speaking about the Blades’ poor play-off record, Wilder said: “The club has been here for a long time, since 1889, and it’s going to be here for another 150 or 200 years, unless something happens to take it away from us all. There’ll be a time to put that record to bed, and hopefully the time is this season. I know what it’s like, even though it was on a smaller scale, to come through the play-offs and win [with Oxford United]. It’s an incredible feeling. As a perfect example, everyone thought Newcastle would get turned over in the Carabao Cup but they had a day and a night to remember. It will happen. Sheffield United will win play-off semi-finals and will win a play-off final. And it’s about time that they did it.”

Liam Manning (Bristol City)

Speaking ahead of the weekend fixtures as his side prepare to visit Leeds United on Monday night, Manning said: "Yeah, of course, I'll have an eye [on other results]. Whether I get to a game or not I don't know, I might go and watch a game but of course, I'll follow the results. I would be lying if I were to sit here and say I won't have a look at it. I won't obsess over it every two minutes but it will be one of those. Just as a football fan, any Saturday I'm off when there are games on I'll follow the scores and try to get to a game so my Saturday won't be any different."

Frank Lampard (Coventry City)

“This is football, by the way,” said Lampard, speaking after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Luton. “I played football for a long time and everyone sees the glory days and the lifting of the cups but people forget the suffering, the losing and then the recovering and resilience and all those things as a sports person. We wouldn’t be able to go from 17th and cruise into the play-offs. It’s impossible from where we were. So from that little bit of suffering now and after Plymouth a little bit, it’s normal. We have to try to win the last game to get the objective.”

Alex Neil (Millwall)

Speaking after a 1-0 win against Swansea City took the Lions play-off bid into the final day of the season, Neil said: “Let’s be honest, today was all about the result and getting closer to giving ourselves an opportunity and a chance for next week. I believe the results have gone in our favour again but, as I say, if we don’t do our bit the rest doesn’t matter. We’ve just beaten a team that had won five in a row in the league, so it’s certainly not any small feat what we have done in the last 12 weeks. I’m extremely proud of the players for what they have offered up. I’m not naive — I know we are going to have to play better than that next week if we want a result. But if you look at what we have done as a whole, then I think it’s been extremely impressive.”

Valerien Ismael - Blackburn Rovers

“We stayed really calm after we conceded the goal,” said the Rovers boss after his side’s win against Watford. “Two moments we had in a transition, in our build-up, just to finish well. Two great goals. We enjoy now the moment. It was our goal to win the game when we knew the result from Coventry at Luton before the kick-off. Now it will be very interesting. Everyone needs results. This is a good thing. Coventry-Middlesbrough, the two teams need to win. Millwall need to win. We need to win. It makes it great and why we love football, to be in that situation. The difference now, it's a real chance. Just to make sure we are doing our job and it will be tough enough. So, focus on ourselves. After the final whistle, we will see."

Michael Carrick - Middlesbrough

Speaking after his side could only claim a goalless home draw with Norwich City, Carrick said: “We’ll be lifted for the final day, don’t worry about that. It’s natural to feel disappointed but there’s still a lot at stake. The season isn’t done by any stretch. We just couldn’t quite find that bit of spark or moment really against Norwich. I can’t fault the boys for their effort – they’re out on their feet there at the end trying. We just couldn’t quite find that goal we needed. We just needed one to drop for us or to find that one moment of quality to create something and put a chance away. When we needed it most, we just couldn’t quite find it.”

Your next Sunderland read: 6 new arrivals funded by £30m Jobe sale - Sunderland’s dream 2025-26 squad under Régis Le Bris - gallery