Sheffield United v Sunderland: Incredible fans, Enzo Le Fée, Blades depth and Gus Hamer - a view from Wearside
The view from Sunderland as Sheffield United prepare to face the Black Cats at Wembley on Saturday
The countdown is well and truly on for this season’s Championship Play-Off Final and, perhaps as it should be, it’s third v fourth at Wembley as Sheffield United take on Sunderland.
Ahead of tomorow’s clash with the Black Cats, we got in touch with The Star’s colleagues in the North East to gauge the feeling in Sunderland.
Chief Football Writer at the Sunderland Echo, Phil Smith, answers the questions.
Who have been Sunderland’s key men this season?
It's hard to pick one or two individuals really - the goals and assists have very much been shared around the group across the course of the season. There is a lot of individual talent in the team but as you saw in the semi finals against Coventry City, it's the togetherness and resilience of the group that stands out.
In terms of looking ahead to this game in particular, there's no doubt that Sunderland need Enzo Le Fée to deliver. He has ability well above this level on his day and produced two excellent assists over the course of the play-off semi finals despite playing out of position on the left wing. If the AS Roma loanee plays well, Sunderland have a chance.
What has been the main reason for Sunderland getting to this stage?
A fast start to the season was key. Le Bris did a superb job quickly embedding his style of play and settling on a core group of players. That tactical clarity and unity in the group meant Sunderland kept catching opposition teams out early on and raced to a formidable points total that made a play-off place almost a certainty. In terms of the team itself, it has a very solid defensive structure and then the pace on the break to hurt the opposition.
What's the feeling like amongst fans ahead of taking on Sheffield United?
I think most fans are looking forward to it. There's a realism in that everyone can see the quality in the Sheffield United squad and most importantly, the depth. It's going to be a huge challenge for Sunderland but the flipside is that the team have been excellent in the big games this season and have shown they don't fear anyone. It's also probably true that when you've spent four years in League One, you appreciate these kind of games and occasions more. So generally, the mood is just looking forward to the weekend and hoping the team can pull off a famous win.
Are Sunderland fans wary of how they are suited to go up as a club right now?
I think there's a wariness for sure but ultimately, it's been eight years since Sunderland were relegated from the top tier and so everyone wants another crack at it. And though, yes, you may struggle to stay up especially the first time around, everyone can see that parachute payments have become a fundamental factor to success in this division. Promotion futureproofs the club for a number of years now.
How much of an impact will supporters make on the day?
The Sunderland fans were incredible in the semi finals, not just in terms of the noise they produced but in sticking with the team in the spells where Coventry City got on top and applied some pressure. It's certainly a very united club right now and that obviously can only be a benefit.
What is your feeling about Sheffield United as a team from what you have seen?
Defensively good and with a top, top keeper [Michael Cooper] at the level, which is always a massive factor in the success of any team in this league. And with a lot of very impressive individuals - Gus Hamer can very clearly be a matchwinner on any given day. You have to respect the experience in the dugout and on the pitch, and a very strong points tally over the course of the season.
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