There was little praise to be dished out as Sunderland threw away three points on Saturday afternoon, drawing 2-2 with bottom club Plymouth Argyle.
Sunderland missed a huge chance to make up some ground in the promotion race after drawing 2-2 with Plymouth Argyle on Saturday.
Regis Le Bris watched on as his side came from behind to lead the game 2-1, only to then concede a scrappy equaliser and take a point from the game at the Stadium of Light.
Trai Hume was arguably Sunderland’s best player against Plymouth. The Northern Irishman assisted Wilson Isidor for the first goal and then scored the second himself.
But Anthony Patterson behind him had a tough afternoon. Sunderland fans have blasted Patterson who failed to come out and collect the ball as Plymouth scored their injury time equaliser.
Patterson though may not have been the worst player on the pitch on Saturday. Journalist Michael Graham thinks centre-back Chris Mepham had an ‘absolute stinker’.
Michael Graham critical of Chris Mepham after Plymouth Argyle draw
Mepham has become a mainstay in the Sunderland XI this season. He’s kept Dan Ballard out of the XI for much of the season, having now featured 23 times in the Championship following his summer loan move from Bournemouth.
He’s usually a rock at the back. Mepham has earned huge praise at Sunderland but like Graham says, the game against Plymouth wasn’t Mepham’s best in red and white.
For their opening goal, Mepham was caught facing the wrong way as the ball ricocheted off him before Patterson eventually scored an own goal. Mepham wasn’t his usual commanding self at the back, leading Graham to post on X:
- READ MORE: Sunderland man jets off to seal January transfer exit, he may have played his last game for the club
Chris Mepham is in the form of his life at Sunderland
This Plymouth game comes just days after Don Goodman hailed Mepham’s form at Sunderland, saying that this 2024/25 season is the best that he’s ever seen the 27-year-old centre-back play.
Goodman said recently: “This is the best I’ve ever seen him play throughout his career. He’s been a rock.” Every player has off days though, as Mepham did against Plymouth, and now it’s a case of bouncing back.
Expect Le Bris to not take too much pain from this Plymouth setback. Although it’s dropped points, there remains a long way to go in the season, and it’s easy to forget that Sunderland are still just four points behind leaders Leeds United who face Burnley on Monday.
A draw in that game would be a great result from a Sunderland perspective. Next up for the Black Cats is a game against Middlesbrough on Monday 3rd February.