Black Cats’ plight is ‘crazy’ admits Ejaria

CLUB SHOULD NOT BE IN RELEGATION FIGHT AND HE IS DETERMINED TO HELP THE CAUSE

OVIE Ejaria admits he finds Sunderland’s descent to the brink of League One ‘crazy’ on the back of the Black Cats’ decade in the Premier League.

Sunderland dropped out of the top flight in May and now find themselves fighting against a double-dip relegation, with only nine games to climb off the foot of the Championship and make up the five-point deficit that currently stands between themselves and safety.

At the age of 20, midfielder Ejaria had grown up viewing Sunderland as a Premier League club during his time in Arsenal’s youth system.

He ended up signing for Liverpool and now finds himself on loan at Sunderland, trying to help prevent the club dropping into the third tier for only the second time in its history.

“When I was growing up as a young player, in my days at Arsenal, I always knew Sunderland to be a Premier League club,” said Ejaria.

“It’s quite crazy really now to see the position the club is in.

“I think everyone knows Sunderland is a massive club and when you look at the table now, they are shocked. “Hopefully we can turn it around. “That’s still possible, if we can get the wins we need between now and the end of the season.

“If so, it will be a massive one for me to look back on as a good experience.

“We have to stay positive and hopefully we can get a good result against Preston on Saturday.”

Ejaria has had a taste of first-team football at Liverpool but spent much of his time playing for the U23s, prompting Reds boss Jurgen Klopp to let him leave on loan to get more senior experience.

He said: “I spoke with my dad and I did have a conversation with the manager [Klopp], about three weeks before I came here just about what was going to happen and what he thinks.

“Sunderland is a big club, so it wasn’t really a hard decision.

“The main thing for me was to get games in senior football, and hopefully I can stay in the side and help the team get some good results between now and the end of the season.

“The main thing for me was that I wanted to develop and experience playing senior football.

“That was one of the main reasons why I made this decision.”

It has been a big step up for Ejaria to go from playing U23 football with Liverpool, and U20 football with England where he played in the Three Lions’ U20 World Cup win last year, to playing in the Championship.

And the difference is not only in the football, but also in the pressure attached to the situation.

“When I was at Liverpool at the start of the season, I was doing well with the U23s and we were at the top of the league and winning loads of games,” he said. “Then I came here, into a relegation battle, and it is very different. “In the Championship, it’s difficult and it’s quick, whereas in the U23s you get more time on the ball, and in international football it can be more technical. “Championship football is more frantic, it’s quicker, and that’s the main difference. “I think I’m starting to find my feet in this division, but I still think I can do better. “I think I’m really going to benefit from it. It’s different, and I’m enjoying it, but I want to help the team this season. “It’s a mental test but hopefully we can turn it around in the games we have got left.”

I think everyone knows Sunderland is a massive club and when you look at the table now, they are shocked. Ovie Ejaria