‘Outstanding’ – Carlton Palmer singles out Sunderland gem for what he’s done
Carlton Palmer has praised Chris Mepham for his “outstanding performances” since the Welshman joined Sunderland on loan.
Mepham has been monumental at the back for Sunderland since stepping in for Dan Ballard and his place in the starting 11 looks cemented until a change is forced.
The Welshman has impressed supporters since stepping onto the pitch and Palmer has echoed their sentiments.
Speaking with Football League World [24 October], Palmer said: “With Dan Ballard unavailable because of injury, Mepham has seamlessly stepped into Sunderland’s starting lineup, and has been outstanding.
“He’s still only 26, he has considerable experience.
“Like I’ve said, I didn’t expect Sunderland to be up there, I don’t think the hierarchy or Regis Le Bris would’ve thought they’d be in the automatic one or two spots. There’s a long way to go in the season yet. We’ll have to see.”
Victory at Luton was huge for Sunderland
Not only did the win increase the gap at the top to three points, but it also sent a real message to the rest of the league that Sunderland are to be taken seriously.
A sign of a promotion winner is their ability to win games despite not necessarily impressing and Le Bris’ side certainly did that.
Luton adopted their famous direct style of play against the Black Cats and the young side dealt with it magnificently.
More goals for Chris Rigg and Romaine Mundle showcased their ability to make chances count in games that are closely contested which is something they have previously struggled with.
It can’t be overlooked the quality that Rob Edward’s Luton side have in their squad, despite being in the bottom half of the table, and Sunderland matched them in every area of the pitch.
With the festive period rapidly approaching, the Black Cats need to maintain that consistency and use their momentum to their advantage in the coming weeks.
In other Sunderland news, Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has spoken to French media about the summer appointment of Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris.
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