Khaz has spark to fire the Cats, insists his boss

MOYES DELIGHTED BY FORM OF FORGOTTEN MAN WAHBI

DAVID Moyes says Wahbi Khazri justified his starting berth against West Ham by delivering the creative spark Sunderland have lacked all season.

The Tunisian’s lack of starts has been a source of frustration on Wearside, Moyes coming under fire from fans eager to see Khazri in the side.

However, Moyes brought Khazri into the starting XI for the first time in five months against the Hammers - and the move bore fruit.

The forward scored direct from a corner-kick to end the Black Cats’ near-12 hour goal drought and set up several chances for his teammates in a man-of-the-match performance which will surely see him start tonight’s basement clash at Middlesbrough.

Moyes was delighted with his display as Sunderland twice came from behind to force a 2-2 draw and said of Khazri: “I had seen a difference on the training ground but also I had tried other alternatives.

“The one thing I have always said to Wahbi is if he can make the difference in a game, if he can keep the ball, if he can make the key pass, if he can create something which leads to opportunities, then that was what I wanted.

“It is not that I have been asking him to run around any more, it was just if he is not going to offer that then I need him to be creative. Against West Ham he was creative.

“He made a good chance for Didier Ndong and he scored the goal from a corner kick. He was creative and he helped the team.”

Moyes added: “You also have to think we have used Victor in that role, playing off the left a bit and I don’t think there is a supporter who would say they did not want to see Victor in the team.

“At different times we have had Duncan Watmore there, Adnan Januzaj, Fabio Borini there.

“We have had a bit of competition but in truth we have not been able to score the goals we wanted.”

While Khazri came into the side against the Hammers, centre-back Lamine Kone paid the price for a run of poor performances as he was dropped to the bench - John O’Shea taking his place.

Moyes insists his decision to drop Kone had nothing to do with the Ivory Coast international’s commitment to the cause but was purely down to recent performances.

He said: “I just think he has had some performances which have not hit standards.

“That’s why we chose to make a change last week.”

Sunderland go into the basement clash at the Riverside 12 points from safety with six games remaining and with two games in hand of relegation rivals Hull City and Swansea City and one in hand of Boro.

Moyes said: “We are gutted at the position we are in.

“If any supporter feels it is just them, we are devastated by the position we are in - but we are at it, training hard and we will fight.”