‘Hopefully we can keep fans at matches – they’re brill!’
Jamie McAllister says Sunderland are hopeful that fans will be able to continue attending games, after hailing their 'outstanding' support at Arsenal on Tuesday night.
As it stands there are no caps on attendances in grounds in England, with any crowds of over 10,000 requiring fans to provide COVID certification.Butitisunclearhow long that will remain the case, with Scotland and Wales both moving games behind closed doors after Christmas due to surging infection rates as the Omicron variant spreads.
Sunderland's home form hasimproveddrasticallysince the return of fans this season, and McAllister said: "They've been top drawer. Even the other night at the Emirates, they were outstanding.
"Even just as we were coming in on the bus, around the pubs and the ground, singing the songs, it was incredible.
"They've been behind us all season, and it's not the same without them. Mikel Arteta said it after the game and he's right, the game is nothing when you take the fans away.
"It's important we stay safe andhopefullywecankeepfans at the games."
On the Arsenal defeat, he added: "The scoreline suggests it was a heavy defeat but I thought there were spells in the game where the lads were excellent. After we scored I thought we were the better team for 15-20 minutes at the end of that half.
"I think it just showed the lads the level that we want to get to, and that they can play against a side of that calibre and compete.
"They conducted themselves very well for long spells. We've got to take the positives and move on, and look to build on the good form we've had in the league."