Cattermole has ‘hunger’ for goals, says Ross

LEE Cattermole’s goalscoring streak may have taken Sunderland fans by surprise – but not Jack Ross.

The midfielder is enjoying his best ever goalscoring season, with his strike in today’s 2-0 win over Plymouth Argyle taking his tally to five in a career that has only seen him score a total of 13 goals in all competitions.

The 30-year-old has long been seen as a sitting midfielder rather than one who ventures into the penalty area, but Ross has given him licence to get further forward and the move has paid off handsomely.

“I think Lee is more than capable of getting goals,” said Ross.

“I mentioned when I first started playing him and Grant [Leadbitter] together that there was maybe this misconception that Lee was just a sitting midfielder, when actually he has got a willingness to get into the box. He has a hunger to get on the end of things in the box and he has the ability to finish as well, so it’s been brilliant for him.”

Cattermole ended a neardecade long wait for his first goal at the Stadium of Light when he scored in Sunderland’s 2-0 win over Gillingham 10 days ago.

But he did not have to wait long for his second, as he netted for the second home game in a row. Ross said: “I didn’t realise that his goal against Gillingham was his first at the Stadium of Light, and then to follow it up so quickly with another terrific finish is brilliant.”