Plenty for Moyes to mull over as the fans begin to show impatience
Sunderland 2 West Ham 2
TIME was running out for Sunderland as West Ham United arrived at the Stadium of Light but David Moyes’s team sheet showed plenty of fight in what was already looking like a lost cause.
Ten points away from safety with only seven games to play, the Black Cats were rapidly entering miracleneeding territory if they wanted to stay in the Premier League. Well, it is Easter.
His hand forced by Bryan Oviedo’s injury and Seb Larsson’s suspension, David Moyes went further still and made four changes to the team so comfortably beaten by Manchester United six days earlier.
Most eye-catching of all was the recall of Wahbi Khazri - and the Tunisian’s first club start since October would prove to be a significant one.
Twice behind, Sunderland twice clawed their way back to claim a point and although it was questionable whether anything could have hap- Wahbi Khazri of Sunderland (L) celebrates scoring his side’s first goal pened yesterday which would have noticeably changed the relegation picture for them there was plenty to learn from their battling draw with West Ham United.
The most significant moment of the afternoon was not a goal, a penalty turned down or a red card.
There was nothing out of the ordinary when, 20 minutes in, Moyes strode out to the edge of his technical area to give instructions to his players - but the greeting which met him was noteworthy.
Booed as he emerged, it was probably the first time in his ten-month Sunderland tenure significant chants of “We want Moyes out!” have been heard.
They came initially from the South Stand but as Moyes made his way to the dugout and back in the next few minutes the boos spread across the ground.
The Black Cats fans have been remarkably patient with Moyes but this sounded like the moment they snapped.
That it was Wahbi Khazri who equalised only added fuel to the fire.
Khazri has not started a club game since October and many fans are mys- DAVID Moyes insists he has “no issue” with fans who chanted for his dismissal during Sunderland’s draw against West Ham. For the first time this season, a significant number of fans began to turn their fire on Moyes at the Stadium of Light, with supporters singing “We want Moyesey out” for a brief spell midway through the first half when the Black Cats James Collins of West Ham United tified as to why. When the playmaker scored direct from a corner, the fans’ cause for celebration was used as a stick with which to beat the manager. “Are you watching David Moyes?” they asked.
In fairness, the subsided after that.
The chant of “Sing your hearts out for the lads” might not have really caught on in the second half but Sunderland fans were anxious not to undermine the positivity their players showed once Khazri had equalised – even after James Collins restored West rebellious noises