Sunderland returned to winning ways against Championship strugglers Luton Town on Wednesday night, with Dan Neil once again the star.
Sunderland have put behind them some iffy recent results with a routine 2-0 win over Luton Town on Wednesday night, with the goals coming from Enzo Le Fee and Wilson Isidor.
The Frenchmen scored either side of half-time as Regis Le Bris’ side faced a much weaker Luton Town side than they did earlier in the campaign, it seems, with the Hatters barely laying a finger on Sunderland.
The win at the Stadium of Light keeps Sunderland in 4th place of the Championship table and now seven points behind leaders Leeds United, who the Black Cats face in a promotion crunch match on Monday night.
Le Bris will need his players to be at their absolute best to take anything from the Leeds game on Monday. In particular, Le Bris may be counting on captain and fan favourite Dan Neil, who proved against Luton Town that he can really dominate games.
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Gary Bennett hails ‘excellent’ Dan Neil after Sunderland win vs Luton Town
Once again, Neil was in fine form for Sunderland. He dictated the game from the middle of the pitch as he so often does, arguably proving to be the Black Cats’ star player on the night. But Gary Bennett thinks he deserves more praise.
Speaking on BBC Radio Newcastle after the game, the former Sunderland man said of Neil: “He doesn’t get the plaudits. I think his passing tonight was excellent. He was unfortunate to not get on the scoresheet.
Bennett later added: “He’s got great ability. He’s calm on the ball. He managed the game tonight and it’s important that we get him on the ball, especially at Elland Road.”
So far this season, the 23-year-old Neil has featured 31 times in the Championship, scoring twice and grabbing himself three assists.
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Dan Neil contract update at Sunderland
Worryingly, Neil is one of a handful of key players who see their Sunderland contracts expire in 2026, along with others such as Dennis Cirkin, Luke O’Nien, and Patrick Roberts.
But speaking recently, sporting director Kristjaan Speakman revealed that Sunderland are in contract talks with Neil along with Cirkin, who have both had links to other clubs in the 2024/25 season.
Keeping Neil in particular seems like a must for the Black Cats. He’s going from strength to strength this season and like Bennett says, he’ll be crucial on Monday.