"We need" - Dan Neil issues passionate Sunderland AFC message after Leeds loss | OneFootball

The Sunderland captain has rallied the troops ahead of a crucial run-in.

Sunderland captain Dan Neil has stated that his side must "come together" during the last 13 games of the season after Leeds United dealt a big blow to their automatic promotion hopes on Monday night.

The Black Cats defended resolutely against the current table-toppers but could not hold on to a first-half lead, as a double from unlikely hero Pascal Struijk handed Sunderland their fifth league loss of the season.

Regis Le Bris' side were unable to move within four points of the automatic promotion places, with the defeat leaving them now eight points behind Sheffield United in second, as Leeds returned to the summit of the Championship.

But with 13 games remaining in the season, there's no doubt that Sunderland's automatic promotion dreams are far from over - a message relayed by their captain, Dan Neil.

Sunderland captain rallies club ahead of run-in

Dan Neil has issued a statement ahead of the final 13 games of the Championship season.

The message, via Sunderland's X account, reads: "We need players, staff and fans to come together because these last 13 games are going to be massive. There's going to be lots of twists and turns."

With none of the top three left to play, and with positive results across the entire season, no matter the opposition, there's no writing Sunderland off with 39 points still to play for.

Despite there still being plenty of points to play for, many have the feeling that Sunderland will need to be searching for close to maximum to be in with a chance of landing in the top two come May.

Having none of the current top three left to play may lead to a favourable set of fixtures on paper, but that means that they can't affect the results of those directly above them.

And, even though the second tier is known for its twists and turns late in the season, the performances of Leeds as of late, and the positive results from Sheffield United despite not playing at their best, may mean that the mountain is insurmountable for the Black Cats.

All Sunderland can do is win the majority of their remaining games and hope for slip-ups from sides above them. They will be looking to bounce back on Saturday when they host relegation-threatened Hull City at the Stadium of Light, a ground they are still yet to lose a league game at this season.