Hull of a big game for us, admits Maja

HARD WORK IS KEY SAYS CATS STRIKER

JOSH Maja insists Sunderland cannot afford to feel sorry for themselves ahead of tomorrow’s crucial game at home to Hull City.

The Black Cats go into the game without a win in 2018 and with only one goal in their five matches since Christmas. Victory will draw them level on points with the Tigers, however.

So far 2018 has been a steep learning curve for Maja, who has started the most recent two games but was left looking very isolated as a lone striker.

Injuries continue to beset the bottom-of-the-Championship squad, although it was by choice that 19-year-old Maja was left as the most senior striker for last week’s 4-0 defeat at Cardiff City.

“We can’t feel sorry for ourselves,” said the Londoner, who marked his debut with the only goal of December’s game at home to Fulham.

“We have to keep fighting. We have to stick together and keep believing.”

Sunderland sold James Vaughan to Wigan Athletic in the build-up to last week’s game Cardiff. With Lewis Grabban recalled from his loan from Bournemouth, it left Maja and 18-year-old Joel Asoro as the only first-team strikers. Manager Chris Coleman and chief executive Martin Bain have been working to rectify that, with Derby County’s Chris Martin emerging as their top target after cooling their interest in Jonathan Walters and Ben Woodburn. The 29-year-old Scotland international needs two more for 100 Championship goals, but has spent much of his career on loan, most recently at Fulham last season. Martin has only started five Championship matches this season, and the arrival of Cameron Jerome will do nothing to improve the chances of that changing. Burnley’s Walters has been ruled out for eight to 10 weeks after keyhole surgery on what Sean Dyche described as “a tiny split in his cartilage.” Meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp has decided he cannot afford to loan out Welsh teenager Woodburn now his attacking resources have been depleted by the sale of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona. Sunderland have been incredibly lightweight up front since Grabban injured his calf at Christmas. They have had only 11 shots in three Championship away games since.

They will need to carry more threat tomorrow.

Hull have not won in the league since December 9, their only victory in the last 14 Championship games.

“We just have to keep believing that we can get the results we need and keep putting the work in on the training pitches and hopefully it will show next game,” said Maja.

“It is a very big game. We go into it on the back of a defeat – it was a tough one to take for the lads but hopefully we can get a result against Hull and put it right.”

Maja believes hard work is the key to turning Sunderland’s form around.

“We need to pick up this week in training and get the boys going, get some confidence into the team and hopefully we can get results,” he said.

“The most important thing is to keep working hard and show I am willing to fight for this team.”

We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We have to stick together and keep believing. Josh Maja