Sunderland were great at Fulham but another Stewart injury is a real blow
It’s probably the last thing that Tony Mowbray would have wanted, given the injury situation that is seemingly haunting Sunderland’s season, but an FA Cup replay against Fulham was the least the team deserved.
Fulham, a team who are sitting in a strong position at the top end of the Premier League table will have left Craven Cottage feeling very lucky to have been in Monday night’s fifth round draw.
I don’t want to get too excited as there was an obvious reason for disappointment on Saturday.
But this side has proved they should fear no team in the Championship.
I really believe a promotion push is more than a realistic target.
The fluency in which the team attack is a joy to behold at times.
On Saturday, Patrick Roberts showed why Manchester City paid Fulham the bulk of £12million for him as a teenager seven years ago.
Fulham supporters on Saturday would have been looking at him and wishing he was still on their books.
He was incredible and by far the best player on the pitch.
Roberts is only 25 so he has time to develop even more, which is a nice thought for Sunderland fans and worrying for everyone else.
He seems really happy at Sunderland under this regime.
All I will say about Amad Diallo is Sunderland supporters should enjoy him while he is here, as he will be playing in Manchester United’s first team next season.
He is a class above.
To be fair, the whole team were phenomenal once again and continued on from last Sunday’s outstanding performance against Middlesbrough.
The game nearly finished with a perfect moment for the club’s youngest ever player, Chris Rigg.
The 15-year-old - yes 15 thought he had won the tie when he fired the ball into the roof of the net in front of the 6,000 travelling supporters.
Unfortunately for him, though, the goal was cruelly chalked off for offside.
Rigg, for a few seconds, would have been in dreamland and will certainly be hungry to experience that adrenaline rush again.
I’m sure he would have had a few autographs to sign in school on Monday after registration.
Without trying to put a dampener on the performance and bringing the mood down, we can’t ignore the Ross Stewart injury.
The big forward’s goal record speaks for itself and if it is a serious achilles injury then it could be another few months on the sidelines for him.
I’m gutted for him as he has been a revelation since he has come to the club.
He will be a huge loss for the team and it will be near impossible to replace him, even with a pot of money to throw at another striker in the transfer market.
The clock is ticking on that one...
Thankfully the club managed to get Joe Gelhardt on loan from Leeds United over the line. Gelhardt is a striker with great pedigree and highly thought of. Although he is a totally different player to Stewart, his arrival will certainly soften the burden.