Sunderland succumbed to another frustrating result on Tuesday night, drawing 1-1 at home to Paul Heckingbottom’s Preston North End.
Sunderland continued to throw away points in their race for promotion, which now seems to hinge solely on achieving a top six finish rather than a top two finish.
On Tuesday night, the Black Cats welcomed Preston to the Stadium of Light. In the end, Sunderland drew 1-1 with Preston who had taken the lead through a fine strike from Emil Riis, later equalising through an even finer strike from Romaine Mundle.
The Black Cats remain in 4th place of the Championship table and retain a 13 point cushion within the top six. But Leeds United in 2nd are seven points ahead of the Black Cats, whilst Sheffield United in 1st are 10 points ahead.
Tuesday night’s game certainly had its talking point. There was controversy with Preston time wasting beyond belief in the second half, Wilson Isidor missed a sitter, and Gary Bennett thinks he spotted something else too.
Eliezer Mayenda ‘was not happy’ with Regis Le Bris during Sunderland 1-1 Preston
Regis Le Bris surprised many by starting both Eliezer Mayenda and Isidor up front against Preston. Mayenda has kept Isidor out the side of late, scoring three in two games prior to the Preston match. Top scorer Isidor had been kept on the bench.
Together, neither seemed to really prevail. But many think Mayenda put in a good shift; a better shift than Isidor anyway. Though in the second half it was the Spaniard who was brought off, much to the confusion of fans and to the frustration of Mayenda.
Speaking on Total Sport after the game, Bennett highlighted Mayenda’s body language after being brought off, stating that he didn’t look happy at all.
Bennett said: “I thought he worked hard. He did look a threat at times. But just look at the body language, especially when he was substituted, he was not happy. He was not happy.”
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Michael Graham’s high praise for Eliezer Mayenda at Sunderland
For much of the season, the 19-year-old Mayenda has gone somewhat under the radar. But he’s shown in the last couple of weeks that he’s a player who has a lot to offer the first-team and the starting XI too.
Posting before the Preston game, Michael Graham hailed Mayenda’s season so far, outing him as one of the stories of the campaign. Graham posted: “Seven goals and five assists now for Eliezer Mayenda from just 17 starts this season. Couldn’t get a game for Hibs this time last year. 19-year-old, one of the stories of a remarkable season for Sunderland.”
So it may be unsurprising that Mayenda looked disheartened at being bought off against Preston, especially when Isidor had missed that sitter and hadn’t done that much in the game as a whole either.
Sunderland return to action at Coventry City on Saturday and once again, Le Bris will have a dilemma in picking between Mayenda and Isidor.