Difficult For Sunderland’s Players – Ex-Striker Backs Bristol City To Down Black Cats | OneFootball

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Former Championship star Sam Parkin is of the view that Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris and his players are facing unknown territory, not knowing what to do after securing a place in the playoffs.

Sunderland are in fourth position in the Championship table and they have secured a place in the playoffs, but their recent form has taken a dip as they have been inconsistent with their performances, something which has worried former Black Cat Danny Collins.

Le Bris’ side have won only two games out of their last six fixtures and they have scored only three goals in those games.

The Black Cats are set to go up against Bristol City, who are still in the battle to secure a place in the playoffs, at Ashton Gate on Good Friday.

Parkin is of the opinion that after securing a place in the playoffs, Sunderland’s players are finding it difficult to put in consistent performances because they are unfamiliar with their current situation.

The former Championship striker also pointed out that Le Bris finds himself in an unfamiliar situation due to his lack of experience and he predicts Sunderland will suffer a 2-1 loss at the hands of Bristol City.

“2-1 Bristol City feels like quite a regular outcome at Ashton Gate”, Parkin said on the Championship Score Predictions show (3:57).

“I think it is difficult for the Sunderland players – really difficult.

“Something I spoke to some people on a different podcast about this really peculiar period that they are in right now, knowing that they are in the playoffs, how to go about it?

“Unknown territory, I would imagine, for a lot of the lads and also the coach, so I will go for Bristol City to win out again at home, where they have been really, really good.”

Sunderland have not won against Bristol City in their last four fixtures and their previous visit to Ashton Gate last season ended with a 1-0 win in favour of the home team.

Le Bris will need to rally his men to finish the rest of the league games strongly to go to the playoffs with confidence and winning momentum.