Theo Walcott highlights key player to help Sunderland survive in Premier League
Sunderland maintained their unbeaten home start to the Premier League season following their impressive 1-1 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday.
Reinildo’s daft red card in the first half put Sunderland up against it, but Wilson Isidor’s deserved equaliser meant the Black Cats walked away with a point at the Stadium of Light.
The result leaves Regis Le Bris’ side seventh in the Premier League, having lost only one of their first five games following promotion.
Theo Walcott was full of praise for one Sunderland star who was yet again influential.
Granit Xhaka’s influence is key for Sunderland to avoid relegation
Xhaka showed innovation for his assist against Villa, with the 32-year-old’s deft header finding Isidor in the crowded Villa box.
Speaking on Match of the Day 2 on 21 September, Walcott was full of praise for his former Arsenal teammate.
He said: “It surprised a lot of people when he joined Sunderland, but if they want to break the pattern of staying in the league, I think he’s a major factor for them to do this.
“He leads by example through his passion, his hunger, and his bravery. The biggest praise is his fight, and everyone feeds off him.”
After the match, Regis Le Bris revealed that Xhaka’s team talk inspired a brilliant second-half performance, as Sunderland dug deep to gain a point against all the odds.
Xhaka played brilliantly at the heart of midfield, breaking up play and delivering moments of magic throughout the match.
| Touches | 44 |
| Assists | 1 |
| Chances created | 2 |
| Tackles | 4 |
| Recoveries | 3 |
If it weren’t for Reinildo’s 36th-minute dismissal, Sunderland could have very easily won the game against a poor Aston Villa side.
Robin Roefs has been an immense signing, yet his inability to deal with Matty Cash’s swerving shot means Sunderland could not break history and win their first three home matches of a Premier League season.
Granit Xhaka one of the signings of the transfer window
We’ve seen Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Viktor Gyokores, and countless others move for astronomical fees to play in the Premier League.
However, Xhaka is the bargain of the transfer window, leaving Champions League side Bayer Leverkusen to play his football at the Stadium of Light.
Having spent seven years under scrutiny at Arsenal, he knows how to deal with the intensity and demands of the Premier League.
It’s now back-to-back home games where Xhaka has provided assists out of nothing, which is something even the top players can struggle to do.
Sunderland aim to become the first promoted team to achieve Premier League survival, and Xhaka’s influence could prove crucial throughout the campaign.
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