Next eight days will be vital, says Cats boss
MOYES: IT’S A HUGE WEEK
DAVID Moyes admits Sunderland are on the verge of becoming ‘detached’ – and the next eight days will be critical to the Black Cats’ survival battle.
Sunderland are bottom of the table, seven points from safety, with ten games remaining and facing three matches in the next week.
The Wearsiders travel to Watford this afternoon, before heading to Leicester City on Tuesday night, and then entertain Manchester United at the Stadium of Light next Sunday.
And Sunderland need positive results – and preferably wins – in at least two of those games to avoid being cut completely adrift, while three defeats would in all likelihood leave them with nothing more than a mathematical chance of dodging the drop.
Moyes said: “It is a big week and obviously we want three good results.
“But we need two good results to keep us there or thereabouts, before a period where we play teams such as Middlesbrough, Hull, Bournemouth, and Swansea a bit further down the line.
“We have to make sure we are still in there with a real chance, and are not detached – we’re on the verge of that, and if we don’t at least get something out of the games this week, it would make it really difficult with the situation we are in.” With Sunderland’s game against Middlesbrough postponed due to Boro’s involvement in the FA Cup, and then last week’s international break, the Black Cats have played only two games in March. But they now face six games in April, and then the final four matches in the first three weeks of May. Moyes is hoping the rapidfire fixtures will help Sunderland, hopefully by allowing them to build momentum, but also by denying them time to dwell on any setbacks. “Maybe so,” he said, when asked if the busy period is an advantage. “If we can get something going and get some momentum, that’s great; if not, at least there is a quick turnaround before the next game. “But first we’ve got three games in the next eight days and we need to put some more points on the board.”
If we don’t at least get something out of the games this week, it would make it really difficult David Moyes