O’Brien targets cup and league double
Aiden O’Brien believes this Sunderland squad can end the club’s Wembley hoodoo – and achieve a cup and promotion double in the process.
The Republic of Ireland international scored the first goal in the Black Cats’ 2-0 win over Port Vale in the Papa John’s Trophy, with the result taking the side into the quarter-finals and within two games of a return to Wembley.
Sunderland have already made the final of this competition once before, but lost to Portsmouth on penalties in 2019 after a 2-2 draw in the capital.
And while a return to the national stadium is far from a foregone conclusion, O’Brien says the side are setting their sights high – as the Wearsiders eye a first win at Wembley since the famous FA Cup triumph of 1973.
"We all want to get there,” he said.
"But we don't just want to get there, we want to win the whole thing.
"We're a massive club and I heard a stat earlier that we haven't won a game at Wembley for years.
"It would be great to break that and with this group of lads here, we can definitely do it.”
O’Brien also knows the effect a win at Wembley can have on a club.
During his time at Millwall, the forward helped the side to a triumph beneath the arch in the League One play-off final – with that victory proving the catalyst for a successful period at The Den.
And the 27-year-old believes similar could happen on Wearside this term, with O’Brien harbouring a belief that promotion remains a real possibility for Sunderland
“At Millwall we won there and built massive momentum, we did well in the Championship the year after and haven't really been fighting relegation since,” he explained.
"If we can do that and win at Wembley, that could give us momentum in the league as well.
"And I still believe that we're going to get promoted this year without a doubt, so hopefully we can do the double.”
O’Brien himself was the star performer in the win over Vale as he put in arguably his best performance since joining the club in the summer – but the forward himself was keen to praise some of the younger players who were handed an opportunity.
Dan Neil, Elliot Embleton and Oliver Younger all featured during the triumph and the forward was quick to hail their attitude and application.
"Every one of them gives it their all and understands what it means to play for this club and you can see when they play they give it their all - and that's all we want as senior players.
"They've been brilliant since they've been on the scene.
“All praise to them really, the way they just slip in and fit in.
"They haven't really played a lot of games with us and as young lads, I remember it, it's hard the mental battle.
"But they've been relaxed, good in training and they don't really look out of place.”