Omar Alderete was Sunderland’s unsung hero vs Leeds, stats showcase why
Luke O’Nien was TNT’s Man of the Match, but Omar Alderete was a colossus for Sunderland.
The Black Cats’ win away to Leeds was far from pretty, but it was a crucial three points on the road with an injury-ravaged squad.
Sunderland were without Nordi Mukiele, Robin Roefs, Reinildo and Brian Brobbey, with Granit Xhaka also only fit enough to make the bench.
Their lack of options piled even more pressure on the likes of Dan Ballard and Alderete to showcase their true class, and they did just that.
- Read more: Dan Ballard a colossus, Eliezer Mayenda struggles – Sunderland player ratings vs Leeds United
How did Omar Alderete fare against Leeds?
The game went largely as expected, with the hosts dominating possession and Sunderland doing everything they could to silence the home crowd that had previously spurred their team on in their last 22 evening clashes at Elland Road.
But that set-up from the Black Cats also piled even more importance on the defence to cope with the everlasting pressure from the Whites.
Courtesy mainly of Alderete, they did, and the Paraguayan was certainly most people’s pick for the Man of the Match award.
Alderete completed a remarkable 17 clearances, which was the most of anyone on the pitch, while also winning nine defensive duels.
He made five blocks at crucial stages of the clash, with a total of 23 defensive contributions at Elland Road.
The 29-year-old conceded possession in a dangerous area of the pitch in the first half, but given that it amounted to nothing, he can certainly be spared from that error after yet another monstrous performance in the heart of defence.
What did Regis Le Bris say about Sunderland win?
It was a huge victory for several reasons, but none more so than because it got Sunderland up to the 40-point mark, which was their aim at the start of the season.
While still mathematically possible, the Black Cats have no reason to fear relegation and should instead be looking up towards the table at the European spots.
Assuming a side in the top six wins the FA Cup, eighth place would get a Conference League spot, and with nine games still to be played, Sunderland are just three points away from that, while also being just four points behind Brentford in sixth.
In his interview after the game, Le Bris insisted that they will take each game as it arrives, but also hinted towards their ambitions heightening.
“We still have nine games to play, and if we keep the same mindset, we can have other targets, (maybe) a bit higher, we’ll see.”
“I told the players, if we win here, it means a lot,” he said. “This place, if you win here, it feels a lot about the character, the intensity and the togetherness of the squad – and we did it.”
For even more Sunderland news and opinions, head over to Football Insider.