Anthony Patterson: Promotion still the aim for Sunderland
Anthony Patterson has revealed that promotion remains the aim for Sunderland this season despite their five-game winless run.
The Black Cats were held to another draw by West Brom on Tuesday night (26 November), dropping down to fourth in the Championship table.
Despite that run, optimism levels among the squad remain high with Patterson explaining how expectations haven’t changed in an interview with the Northern Echo (28 November).
Patterson explained: “I think we’ve got what it takes to kick right on and be right up at the top spots by the end of the season.
“I think if you ask any of the lads really, I think they’ll all say the exact same thing. I think the aim is promotion this year for all the lads.”
Sunderland are still in a promotion race
The reaction on Wearside to the recent run of form has been partly warranted while also being extremely overexaggerated. The Black Cats remain within touching distance of the summit of the division having coped without several key players in recent weeks.
Trai Hume, Patrick Roberts, Jobe Bellingham, Alan Browne and Romaine Mundle have all been missing in different periods of this winless run and yet the Mackems have maintained a 10-game unbeaten run.
If this is to be the blip that Sunderland face this season, it is very promising that they are still picking up points consistently.
With that said, wins are needed and three points against Sheffield United on Friday (29 November) would go a long way to allowing people to forget this run.
Ultimately, the aim at the start of the campaign was to achieve a top-six finish. Even that seemed far-fetched with everything considered.
However, with what was a remarkable start to the campaign, expectations have changed and it’s vital to remember where the Black Cats came from off the back of last season.
In other Sunderland news, the Black Cats could exploit the ‘Bellingham’ name in any future negotiation on Jobe’s exit.
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