On This Day (10th April 2018): Dejected Sunderland Boss Almost Admits Defeat In Relegation Battle!
The end was nigh for Chris Coleman as Sunderland squandered yet another glorious opportunity!
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - APRIL 10: Sunderland manager Chris Coleman during the Sky Bet Championship match between Sunderland and Norwich City at Stadium of Light on April 10, 2018 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images) | Sunderland AFC via Getty Images On a spectacularly misty, foggy and rainy night on Wearside, Chris Coleman’s Sunderland yet again let a glorious opportunity to pull themselves out of trouble in the Championship relegation battle after conceding a late equaliser to Norwich City at the Stadium of Light. For the neutral watching on (if any), this was an entertaining encounter where both teams had many chances to win the game, which included a missed penalty from Sunderland’s Aiden McGeady, who hit the post from the spot before George Honeyman gave us the lead in the second half.
In typical Sunderland fashion of this time, they conceded an equaliser with only minutes remaining on the clock which was a gut-wrenching blow for survival, given the teams around them such as Bolton Wanderers and Birmingham City lost on the same evening. The home side’s failure to deal with James Maddison’s free-kick, with an unmarked Ivan Pinto left with the simple task of slotting home from close range in the 89th minute appeared to be almost the final nail in the coffin for them as this draw left Coleman’s team six points adrift of safety with four games remaining. The former Wales manager almost admitted defeat himself in the aftermath of the game as he displayed his best forlorn ‘ER’ impression when speaking to the media after the full time whistle.
“We need four wins now don’t we? ” admitted Coleman. “We could have put pressure on Reading tonight, before we go there on Saturday.
If we had then beaten them, the gap (to Reading) would have been three points and the pressure would have been on them. With us dropping two points, that could make a difference to them. “There are 12 points available, and the gap has lessened a little bit, but we should be sitting here now saying, ‘Right, it’s game on now on Saturday’.