Trophy final ‘is no mere walk in park’

LEE Johnson has warned of the danger of taking Tranmere Rovers for granted as Sunderland prepare for Sunday’s EFL Trophy final date at Wembley.

The Black Cats have struck a rich vein of form in the league, winning six of their last seven games and dropping just two points – and with the Trophy final pitting them against League Two opposition Johnson is wary some may see the outcome as a foregone conclusion.

He points out promotion-chasing Tranmere are also in excellent form, having won nine of their last 12 games in the league, and that there is a lot of Championship experience within their ranks – possibly more than in his own squad.

Johnson (right) says it is his job to keep the players focused and to kill off any thoughts that Sunderland are heading to Wembley ‘just to enjoy ourselves.’

He said: “Our attitude is very much that we have to go and win at Wembley. It is a game we want to win.

“The danger is we are playing a side from the league below so there will be certain assumptions which go along with that.

“Tranmere are doing well in the league and they have a really experienced squad.

“In fact, I bet there are as many, if not more, Championship appearances in that Tranmere side than there are in ours.

“This is not going to be a walk in the park or a day we can just go into with the mindset of enjoying ourselves.

“We have to be really focused on our performance and make sure we do all the bits which go into that extremely well.”

That said, Sunderland will be going into the game on a high after defeating promotion rivals Portsmouth 2-0 at Fratton Park in midweek.

Two years ago the Wearsiders played Pompey in the Trophy final, drawing the game 2-2 after extra time – only to lose on penalties.

On that day, half the stadium was red and white as a competition record crowd of 85,021 packed Wembley but this weekend the atmosphere will be very different as the game will be played behind closed doors due to the pandemic.

Midfielder Josh Scowen said of the Wembley trip: “We will go there full of confidence.

“It would have been great for the fans to have been able to be there and it will not be the same for us without them there, but hopefully it will still be enjoyable.

“We are going there to try and claim that win for them.”

Scowen came back into the starting XI at Portsmouth and feels Sunderland are starting to ‘click’ as their promotion bid gathers momentum.

He added: “I thought we controlled the game from start to finish.

“There were a couple of little mistakes, giving them half chances, but I thought we controlled it – it was a really good performance.

“We have a really strong bond at the moment and things are clicking for us.

“We are putting what we are doing in training into games and our performances are showing that. The gaffer’s ideas are working, the boys are taking it on board and it is working for us at the moment.”

Sunderland stay fourth after Tuesday’s win but just two points now separate them from the automatic promotion places.

They are five points behind leaders Hull City – and still have two games in hand on the Tigers.

Scowen insisted: “It would be nice to get into the top two but we just take it one game at a time.”

The 27-year-old’s return saw him partner January signing Carl Winchester in central midfield and the duo formed an effective partnership.

Scowen said: “Carl is a good player.

“He had that little injury when he first came in which set him back, but he is here for a reason.

“Whoever players in there we have a real good balance – Max Power, Grant Leadbitter when he comes back, Luke O’Nien can also play there. It bodes well for the club.”