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“I know this league inside out and there’s no reason why we can’t be competitive with ordinary sides like Sunderland”- Paul Heckingbottom’s CONTROVERSIAL claim after Sunderland vs Preston. You won’t believe how DEADLY wrong he was.
Sunderland will face Preston North End in the Championship tomorrow night, providing a useful gauge for both teams’ progress since their last encounter in November.
In that previous match, the two sides played out a goalless draw at Deepdale, a result that helped Preston maintain some positive momentum under then-manager Paul Heckingbottom.
Since then, Sunderland has stayed firmly in the race for promotion, remaining at the top end of the Championship table.
The next few fixtures will be crucial for Sunderland, as they look to end the season on a high note rather than fading out of the picture. On the other hand, Preston has little left to fight for, with safety all but secured and the playoffs out of reach.
Heckingbottom Aiming for Sunderland’s Level
When the teams met earlier in the season, Heckingbottom was open about his side’s strengths, even suggesting that other managers, including Regis Le Bris, might find it tough to face Preston under his leadership.
Speaking to the BBC after that November match, Heckingbottom said: “The pleasing thing is when I speak to people in football and teams are preparing to play us, we’ve got an identity, a clear style.
Teams are having to change and be really disciplined to get the better of us. I take that as a compliment.”
At the time, Sunderland were in excellent form and were kept at bay by Preston, so perhaps Heckingbottom’s remarks weren’t without merit.
However, he also made a bold statement when comparing his side to Sunderland, which, in hindsight, seems off the mark.
“The bits that are really pleasing me is how we’re outperforming teams in terms of xG as I know that was a big issue for the group,” he said. “But the result will always be determined by what happens in both boxes.
Overall the level of performance has been that good. I know this league inside out and there’s no reason why we can’t be competitive with sides like Sunderland.”
With 12 places and 25 points separating the two teams ahead of tomorrow’s match, it’s clear that Sunderland and Preston are on very different trajectories this season.
Sunderland’s Push for Automatic Promotion
For weeks, many fans have written off Sunderland’s chances of securing a top-two finish, especially given the relentless form of teams like Burnley, Sheffield United, and Leeds.
However, with just ten games to go, cracks are starting to show among the promotion hopefuls. Leeds’ loss to Portsmouth this weekend has thrown the title race wide open, while Sheffield United has been inconsistent in recent weeks.
Only Burnley seems to be hitting top form at the right time, but the uncertainty at the top could still give Sunderland a glimmer of hope.
It’s a tall order for Sunderland, who are currently eight points behind the top two, and would need significant shifts in fortune to break into the automatic promotion spots.
However, there is still something to fight for, which is crucial for the Black Cats.
There were concerns that Sunderland might become stagnant and slip into a fourth-place finish, forcing them into the Championship playoffs.
The worst-case scenario for Sunderland now would be to lose momentum and fall behind teams like Coventry City, who are in strong form heading into the final stretch.
Starting with tomorrow’s match against Preston, Sunderland must be ruthless and capitalize on any further slip-ups from their promotion rivals to keep their hopes alive.
