WYKE HITS 25 FOR SEASON IN CATS WIN

CHARLIE Wyke is ‘full of confidence’ after scoring his 25th goal of the season, according to Sunderland’s assistant head coach Jamie Mcallister.

Wyke hit his 20th League goal of the campaign in the Black Cats’ 2-0 win against Rochdale at the Stadium of Light, after Dion Sanderson had scored his first senior goal to give his side an early lead.

Wyke is enjoying the most prolific season of his career, and he has scored 15 goals in his last 15 outings.

Mcallister said: “The big man has been brilliant. He gives us a lot, a platform to play off, he can run in behind, he has good touch, and he is dangerous in the box.

“His all-round game is good, but he has now added goals to it.

“He’s full of confidence and he’s scored 25 goals this season now.

“The service in to him has to be good as well, and the two deliveries today for the goals were right on the money.

“Aiden Mcgeady has got great quality and he can go one-vs-one and has good delivery.

“JJ [Jordan Jones] showed his quality today as well with a great delivery for Charlie’s goal.

“We just have to keep on building on it and not get carried away because there are a lot of difficult games to come, and we have a tough week ahead but it’s one we can enjoy.

“It is a good game Tuesday now, Portsmouth are a good side. We have a game plan for Tuesday, take care of the business ourselves. We have been doing that of late.

“Our strength in depth is showing now with the injuries. Most teams have them when games come thick and fast, the lads coming in have been excellent.”

Next-to-bottom Rochdale arrived on Wearside having won just one of their last 15 league games, but they offered a threat on the break and Mcallister said Sunderland could not afford to take

them lightly.

“When you look, Peterborough and Portsmouth lost against teams down the bottom today,” he said.

“We struggled against Crewe last week. You can’t underestimate anyone, you have to take care of business.

“There’s always that chance when you’re doing well in both boxes and we’re doing that of late, keeping clean sheets at one end and scoring goals at the other.

“That’s down to the team doing well collectively and staying organised.

“Rochdale are good in possession and caused a few problems, but Burgey made a couple of good saves.

“It was a difficult game but the lads managed it well.

“Confidence is high but there are still a few things we can still get better at, so we have to just keep improving.”

Sunderland head coach Lee Johnson handed 21-year-old defender Ollie

Younger his League debut at right-back, and he performed well before coming off early in the second half to enable a formation change.

Mcallister said: “He is a steady Eddie – we have total trust and belief in Ollie, he trains really well and I thought he had a very accomplished debut until we decided to change the shape and we took him off.”

Mcallister also revealed that new owner Kyril Louis-dreyfus has been a near-constant presence around the training ground since completing his takeover last month, and there have been several meetings to plot a strategy for the future.

He said: “I have seen him a lot. He has been excellent, couple of meetings, been in most days and you can see his hunger and love for the game. He’s very focused, and has a clear plan of where he wants to take the club. It’s exciting times at Sunderland, with great vision.”