Source: Northern_Echo
We’re not safe yet, insists Sunderland boss
SUNDERLAND might be ten points clear of the relegation zone with eight matches remaining, but manager Steve Bruce will not start planning for life next season in the Premier League just yet.[LNB] One defeat from their last eight matches, culminating in eight points from the last 12 available, has eased worries of the drop.[LNB] While Birmingham City can count themselves unfortunate to have lost 3-1 at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland are playing with confidence again, particularly when they attack.[LNB] But having had an uncomfortable second half when Birmingham threatened to cancel out Sunderland's two-goal lead courtesy of Darren Bent's double, Bruce feels such displays have become the norm on Wearside.[LNB] It is the mentality of this club that we will never take anything for granted, said Bruce.[LNB] Thinking we are already safe is something we simply can't afford to do.[LNB] That performance just summed up Sunderland.[LNB] Perhaps a bit like my old club, Birmingham, they never do things the easy way.[LNB] There are eight games left and I don't think 34 points is going to be enough but what we have done is given ourselves an outstanding chance.[LNB] We are in a position where we can now have a look at those teams above us like Stoke and Fulham.[LNB] Sunderland's scintillating start after Bent's two goals inside the opening 11 minutes had arrived cheaply and suggested Birmingham would cave in.[LNB] However, City responded by forcing goalkeeper Craig Gordon into numerous saves and Bruce felt that knocks sustained by Bent, to his calf, and John Mensah, to his knee, contributed to Sunderland's failure to stay on top.[LNB] Why were we good first half, bad second asked Bruce. I really should have taken Mensah off much earlier than I did. That was a big mistake by me.[LNB] I should have made that change earlier and I did not.[LNB] He tried to carry on, which is typical of him.[LNB] We went deeper and deeper and that caused us a few problems.[LNB] Bent was also not himself after his goals either. Because of the mentality that we have got, it happens like that sometimes.[LNB] With Gordon in inspired form between the posts for the second successive match, Sunderland held on.[LNB] Bruce, however, feared the worst. We could quite easily be sitting here with 44 points like Birmingham but we concede late goals, said Bruce, thankful for Fraizer Campbell's 88th minute third.[LNB] Five times we have conceded in the last minute.[LNB] Thankfully we got the late goal, which killed the game.[LNB] You saw the best of us in the first half and then in the second we got nervous and edgy. If you do not do things properly, eventually it catches up.[LNB] That is what we have to eradicate to try to get better.[LNB] Just because we have a huge stadium and big fan base, as soon as you step away from it, especially in this league, you can get punished and we very nearly did.[LNB] Eight points from the last 12 has been a fantastic return and we needed that.[LNB] Suddenly, we have lost one in eight and that was to Arsenal. Thankfully, winter is out of the road.[LNB] Kenwyne Jones remains a doubt for Wednesday's trip to Aston Villa with a hip problem, although he could return at Liverpool on Sunday.[LNB]
