LEEDS UNITED................................................................ ...................2
MATCH STATS We needed to get first goal, admits Grayson
after missing a late chance (inset right) for the Black Cats in yesterday’s defeat a save five minutes before the break. The Black Cats enjoyed more possession in the second half and looked slightly less shaky at the back – particularly after Adam Matthews had replaced Galloway at left-back – but their final ball was poor and they could not break down the Leeds defence.
At the other end, Alioski brought a good save out of Steele with a free-kick from 25 yards.
Grayson had already brought Wahbi Khazri on early in the second half, and with 15 minutes to go, he sent on teen- ager Joel Asoro as Sunderland desperately went in search of an equaliser.
But within a couple of minutes, Leeds scored the second goal which killed the game.
Ndong allowed Saiz too much space inside the area on the right and he crossed to Dallas out beyond the far post, and he planted a firm header past Steele from around eight yards out.
Sunderland could not even manage a late consolation goal, with Billy Jones hitting the side netting in the final minute. SIMON Grayson admits Sunderland paid the price for a lack of quality in the final third as Leeds United put paid to their unbeaten start.
The Black Cats had collected five points from their first three Championship games but came unstuck against Grayson’s former club at the Stadium of Light.
The game turned on a 60-second passage of play midway through the first half which saw Sunderland’s Lewis Grabban’s shot cleared off the line by Leeds skipper Liam Cooper, with the Yorkshire side then capitalising on poor defending at the other end to take the lead through Samu Saiz.
Grayson said: “I thought in the first 20 minutes we were the dominant team. We played with real tempo, some decent quality, but there are fine margins in games – I don’t think Cooper knew too much about it, the ball hit his head and then hit the bar.
“Then seconds later, the ball was in the back of our net.
“When the opposition get the first goal it is not easy. Credit to our players, they kept going, they didn’t give in, they just lacked the quality in the final third of the pitch when it really mattered and we were trying to chase the game.
“I think if we had got that first goal, it would have been a different outcome because we were on the front foot.
“I was pleased with players but we didn’t have that final pass, the decision making, to unsettle a difficult back four to play against.
“Their goalkeeper hardly had a shot to save – I think we only managed one or two shots on target.”
Sub Stuart Dallas scored the second for Leeds with Saiz providing the assist, although it appeared the Spaniard was just offside before he delivered the cross.
Grayson said: “He looks like his right leg is just off. Sometimes you get those, sometimes you don’t – I’m not going to complain about that.”
On-loan Everton defender Brendan Galloway could not cope with Leeds winger Ezgjan Alioski, prompting Grayson to move George Honeyman from the right flank to the left to provide more defensive help than Aiden McGeady could offer.
Grayson added: “It’s never easy in the Championship. Brendan has done alright for us, but he found it difficult against a good player today.
“We know on that side that Aiden McGeady is going to give you loads going forward – and we want him to do that – but sometimes you have to sacrifice his defensive duties.
“It’s a learning curve for everybody and when we analyse it, we won’t get too down just as we won’t get too carried away when we’re winning games.”
Grayson named the same starting XI for a fourth successive league game as Sunderland’s busy start continued, with this the Black Cats’ fifth game in all competitions in just 15 days.
He said: “The players have worked extremely hard over this busy schedule.
“I don’t think any other team in the Championship will have had the schedule that we have had, against the level of opposition that we have played against as well.”