View: Max Power comments vindicated after 92% Dan Neil showing for Sunderland
Max Power was in the Sunderland away end on Boxing Day as the Black Cats continued their promotion push with a 2-2 draw against Blackburn with Dan Neil impressing.
The Black Cats reduced the gap from Sheffield United with a point earned against Blackburn with their automatic promotion hopes still very much intact.
Chris Rigg and Wilson Isidor were on the scoresheet but it was the performance from their boyhood team captain Neil that impressed ex-Sunderland midfielder Power the most who took to X after the game to react to the performance.
“Game of two halves,” explained Power. “Thought Sunderland did enough to win the game second half. Point on the board and well in the hunt for automatics.
“Rigg will play right at the very top. What a talent.
“Dan Neil MOM, top footballer and captaining the team at 23, felt proud watching him.”
Dan Neil oozes quality for Sunderland, he deserves more respect
Neil has become somewhat of a scapegoat on Wearside this season and while some of his early season performances may not have been up to scratch, his recent ones will have made his doubters eat their own words and that was on show against Blackburn.
According to FotMob, the 23-year-old recorded an impressive 92 per cent pass accuracy from 38 attempted passes, with one of them playing a crucial role in the build-up to Isidor’s goal.
In fact, that particular pass was one of two long passes attempted by the midfielder, both of which were completed.
Occupying a deeper role than he has for the majority of his career so far, Neil is often asked to sit deep and break up play which he did well against Rovers.
He made six recoveries in the clash while completing four defensive actions as Sunderland looked to nullify the Blackburn attacking threat.
His capability to drive forward with the ball has been key in games and his 60 per cent success rate when it came to that was important as they secured a crucial point at Ewood Park.
Neil’s importance to the side is massive and he certainly deserves more appreciation for the levels of performance he demonstrated each week.
In other Sunderland news, the Wearsiders have been linked with a swoop for a Swedish league forward.
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