JOKANOVIC: COLEMAN IS CARRYING A HEAVY LOAD

SUNDERLAND manager Chris Coleman spent 10 years at Fulham – but will find sympathy in short supply today.

Craven Cottage boss Slavisa Jokanovic believes the Black Cats’ struggles show how difficult clubs find the adjustment from Premier League to Championship after taking the big drop.

The Serbian said: “The Championship is a tough competition and it’s not easy for any club. It’s a big challenge for Sunderland.

“Last season they were relegated with Hull and Middlesbrough, and none of them are in the top two.”

Sunderland are without a home win for a calendar year and Jokanovic said: “I expect they are going to be super competitive in this game.

“The situation they’re in, they need three points.

“They’ve got a new coach now, new staff, and they’re desperately waiting for a reaction. They are going to show something different, I expect they are going to show improvements.

“We need to focus on our job and try to dominate Sunderland. We’re going to find a competitive, organised team. We must find our style, start well, be ready to press, and be clinical.”

Coleman (above) said: “We know the history that we’ve got not winning at home for so long.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s Fulham we’re playing.

“It’s not actually really about the opposition – it’s about ourselves. We’ve got to exercise the demons.

“We’ve got to respect the opposition but we need to overcome our own obstacles at the Stadium of Light.” Tearside – pages 50 & 51