Alex Neil knows Sunderland must finish the season perfectly if they're to secure a League One play-off berth. The Black Cats were favourites for automatic promotion earlier this year but a January implosion ended any hopes of an automatic return to the Championship.
Instead, the Wearsiders will need to go through the play-offs once more - a feat Sunderland supporters have become accustomed to in League One. The Black Cats head coach has done a decent job at steadying the ship and reigniting promotion hopes, but a tough run of fixtures stands between themselves and a return to the second tier of English football.
While Sunderland do have one of the easier run ins compared with their rivals, they're set to face three of the current top six. The Black Cats face tough trips to Oxford United and Plymouth Argyle but know wins in those games would almost certainly lift them above their promotion rivals and into the top six.
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This season has certainly been one to forget for Sunderland fans, but a late play-off push would salvage some credibility. You just need to look at the run Blackpool went on towards the end of last season to see that mission impossible can be achieved.
The Black Cats need their experienced heads to come to the fore and show why they were bookies promotion favourites earlier in the year. The perfect blend of youthful swagger and experience saw Sunderland start the season well before fading into obscurity.
Neil has done a good job at managing his younger players who he claimed were on the verge of burning out and that a rest period should do them good. The international break will be a great opportunity for Neil to get more of his philosophy across to his players whilst also giving them some much needed time to reset.
The Sunderland head coach knows exactly what is expected of him ahead of the run in. Prior to the break, he said: "I certainly think we have to be more substance over style at the moment. The result is the most important thing."
There can be no excuses for Sunderland this time out. A fifth season in League One would be almost unforgivable.
The Black Cats know a win at home to Gillingham will act as a catalyst for their play-off push ahead of a trip to Oxford United. The clash with the U's will no doubt be a feisty one given how much is riding on the game and Karl Robinson is the perfect pantomime villain.
Sunderland can't afford to get involved in any mind games with so much on the line.
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