Alex Pritchard opens up on the importance of Sunderland’s play-off final on Saturday | OneFootball

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Football League World

·19 May 2022

Alex Pritchard opens up on the importance of Sunderland’s play-off final on Saturday

Article image:Alex Pritchard opens up on the importance of Sunderland’s play-off final on Saturday

Sunderland head to Wembley this weekend for a game which they are hoping will lead them back up to the Championship after a four year absence.

The Black Cats had a good season finishing the league in fifth position before beating Sheffield Wednesday over two legs to reach the play-off final.


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They face Wycombe Wanderers who will be tough opponents as we’ve seen them frustrate MK Dons to make it to the final.

Sunderland will be desperate to win the game as they face their second play-off final in four seasons after losing to Charlton Athletic in 2019.

Alex Pritchard is well aware of what is riding on Saturday’s game and feels the responsibility in on himself and his teammates to get the job done as he told the Chronicle: “Everyone says that [a club of Sunderland’s size shouldn’t be in League One], but the reality is that the club is in League One and it has been for four years – that’s the situation.

“It’s up to us to change that.”

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Article image:Alex Pritchard opens up on the importance of Sunderland’s play-off final on Saturday

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The 29-year-old knows the importance of this game for so many people as he said: “If we can get over the line then we all know what it will mean to the supporters, to the staff, and to the city.

“We just have to go into the final with a clear mind, and if we play our game and work as hard as we know we can as a team and as a unit, I’m pretty sure we can do it.

“We have got one game left and we have given ourselves a great opportunity, but we know what Wycombe are like – they are a good team and they have got players who have done it before, so we have to go there, stamp our authority on the match, play our game, and get the job done.”

The game at Wembley is a chance for Pritchard to make some new memories at the ground as he admitted last time he played there for Huddersfield against Tottenham: “It didn’t go to plan, though, because I came off after half an hour with a dead leg! But it’s a great stadium, it’s a great atmosphere, so we have to enjoy the occasion, take it all in, but make sure that we get the result we want to make it a great day.”

The Verdict:

As much as Sunderland’s history entitles them to be in a higher league, as Pritchard points out they are in League One and have been for a number of years now so if they want that narrative to be maintained then they have to get themselves out of the league and prove it.

The team will all be well aware of how much this fixture means to a number of different parties and will be hoping they can use this as motivation to go and get a result for everyone in Sunderland.

It’s sure to be a big occasion and a hard game but with their fans on side, they will be hoping this is the year that Sunderland finally return to the Championship.

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