BRING THE WAGS!
Christmas party is on but Moyes has one rule
DAVID MOYES has banned a boozy boys’ night out for his Sunderland players this Christmas — and instead wants them to involve their wives and girlfriends.
The club are bottom of the Premier League following Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Swansea. And Moyes is keenn to keep his injury-hit squad fresh and focused before the festiveve fixtures, when the former er Manchester United managerr will return to Old Trafford for the first time, on Boxing Day, before a trip to Burnley on New Year’s Eve.
The Scot is also aware of how it may be perceived among fans if his players s were to be pictured out on the town given their predicacament at the foot of the table.e.
Rather than scrap all plans for a Christmas get-together, however, Sportsmail understands that Moyes has suggested they enjoy a night out in the North East with their partners in tow.
Managers are often keen to keep the WAGs at a distance but Moyes hopes their presence will make it a low-key family affair.
Sunderland had won three from four before the weekend but the Swansea loss has left them two points from climbing out of the relegation zone, with league leaders Chelsea the visitors to the Stadium of Light tomorrow night.
Moyes said: ‘We’re back on the bottom but we’ve been there for most of it so it’s not something new to us.
‘But we aren’t back at square one, because we’ve got ourselves back in with a fighting chance and a few weeks ago (after two points from 10 games) we didn’t have that. So we will brush ourselves down and get on with what’s next, which is a busy week.’
Moyes has one eye on January and will be bracing himself for interest in defender Lamine Kone, who tried to force through a move to Everton in the summer before signing a new five- year contract in September. It is understood that the Ivorian’s representatives are still keen to move their player on and West Ham are preparing an £18million offer.