Why Tony Mowbray believes Sunderland still have it all to play for ahead of Hull and Cardiff fixture

The Black Cats are 12th in the table following a goalless draw with Championship leaders Burnley and are seven points off a play-off place with seven fixtures remaining.

Ahead of his side’s match against Hull at the Stadium of Light, Mowbray was asked about getting his side up for the final games of the campaign to avoid having ‘nothing to play for.’

“We have talked about the next group of games really and I feel as if there is an opportunity for us,” Mowbray replied.

“If we can get through the first one, and then we go to Cardiff, who I think are fourth bottom at the moment. They are fighting for their lives and have fantastic support but it’s also a game against a team with anxiety. We’ve been good on the road so feel as if we can go to Cardiff and give them some problems.

“Then we have back-to-back home games against Birmingham and Huddersfield, and all of a sudden... We sit here and we shouldn’t be giving up on an exciting end to the season.

“What will put pay to that of course is if we don’t find a way to beat Hull, go to Cardiff and get beat and all of a sudden there are five games left and you are miles and miles away and you’re not going to do it.

“If we can win the next few games it makes the next home games after that really exciting because if you win four on the bounce in this league you can catapult yourself right up there.

“We have still got all to play for, I would suggest.”

Hull are 17th in the table ahead of their trip to the Stadium of Light and have won just one of their last nine league games.

Sunderland drew 1-1 with Liam Rosenior’s side when the teams met at the MKM Stadium back in December, with Ozan Tufan cancelling out Ross Stewart’s opener.