"If there had been VAR, I don't think there's even a one percent chance that goal would have stood." In the wake of Sunderland's defeat against Sheffield United Tony Mowbray found himself yet again reluctantly cast in the all-too familiar role of a man who does not want to complain about officials, left complaining about officials.
And, yet again, he had a point. Or rather his team didn't, and that was the problem.
VAR has its own issues, but if it had been in operation at the Stadium of Light last night, Tommy Doyle's winning goal would not have been disallowed for offside. There would have been no need for the VAR to draw parallel lines to separate Sunderland defender Danny Batth and Sheffield United's Sander Berge as the latter tried unsuccessfully to reach Doyle's free-kick, but if he had, you could have driven a double-decker bus between them.
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It was not even close. The referee apologised afterwards, but what was done could not be undone. No wonder Mowbray cut a frustrated figure when he spoke to the media.
After the game, Mowbray spoke of the gap between Sunderland, who are adjusting to life in the Championship having spent the previous four seasons in League One, and Sheffield United who were in the Premier League as recently as two years ago and finished in the top ten of the top flight the year before that, and who are on course to win automatic promotion this term. Sheffield United have players with Premier League experience while for the majority of Sunderland's young side, the Championship is the highest level they have yet reached.
And yet Sunderland showed that that gap could be bridged, at least over the course of 90 minutes. They weathered a spell of heavy pressure in the first half, and took the lead against the run of play on the half-hour when Edouard Michut scored his first goal for the club, set up by a sliderule pass from Abdoullah Ba.
But they could not hold out until the break, with on-loan Manchester City midfielder James McAtee levelling things up in stoppage time after Patrick Roberts had given the ball away and the Blades had hit Sunderland on the counter. Sunderland had found it tough going in the first half but improved in the second half.
But Doyle's controversial goal came on the hour, and while Jack Clarke brought a good save out of Wes Foderingham and Roberts struck a post, Sunderland could not force an equaliser. A draw against Sheffield United on the back of Sunday's win at Norwich would have been an excellent return from two very tough games, ahead of Saturday's home game against play-off contenders Luton Town and then the trip to Burnley at the end of the month.
As it is, Sunderland have slipped into midtable after a run of one win - and four points - from six games. The gap between themselves and the play-off places is now eight points and their chances of a top six finish are ebbing away rapidly.
That will come as a disappointment given that Sunderland have been in and around the top six for most of the campaign, but it should not detract from what is still a fine first season back in the Championship.
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