“From the day he came in…” – Patrick Roberts reveals key factor in Alex Neil’s Sunderland success | OneFootball

The “attitude to keep on giving everything” that Sunderland boss Alex Neil has brought to the club has been key in their late-season success, winger Patrick Roberts has said ahead of the upcoming League One play-off final.

The Black Cats are hoping to return to the Championship after four years away but know how painful falling at the final hurdle can be, having been beaten by a late Charlton Athletic winner at Wembley in 2018/19.

But it has been Sunderland producing the key late goals in recent weeks and none have been more important than Roberts’ stoppage-time equaliser in the second leg of the play-off semi-final with Sheffield Wednesday, which was enough to win them the tie and book their place in the final against Wycombe.

Speaking to Chronicle Live, the former Manchester City attacker has suggested the never-say-die attitude that Neil has brought to the club is what has allowed them to be so effective at the end of games and hinted it could help them secure promotion.

He said: “The support has always been great this season. At home the other day, getting 40-odd thousand was incredible.

“They showed their support, and you just know they’re going to be there again at Wembley. The never-say-die attitude that we have, they have as well, and they want their club to be back at the top.

“We can only do our best to implement that for them on the pitch by giving our all. I think they can be proud of us the way we keep going to the end.

“These late goals [such as the one Roberts scored in the semi-final] are not just flukes – the attitude to keep on giving everything has been instilled in us from the manager from the day he came in. We’re defensively strong, and we know we can be clinical in the right areas, at the right time.

“We do that, and it will give us confidence for Wembley.”

The Verdict

Sunderland supporters will love this insight from Roberts into what Neil has brought since replacing Lee Johnson in the dugout.

Late goals have been a key factor in the Black Cats’ strong finish to the season and run to the play-off final so the manager should take a lot of credit for the attitude he has instilled in his players.

The North East club will clearly be hoping to make things comfortable at Wembley but there will be confidence that they can come good late in games if necessary.

That could be key to helping them get past their recent play-off hoodoo – having suffered heartbreak in two of the last three years.

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