Sunderland have fought valiantly in pursuit of automatic promotion all season, and their impressive squad has earned plenty of plaudits, but one man could be set for the chop.
After Monday night’s defeat to Leeds United, Sunderland may have to admit their outside chances of winning the title are pretty much over.
However, the Black Cats are still in contention for automatic promotion, and Regis Le Bris’ men have been given the backing of pundits to still have a chance at getting over the line.
Still, regardless of the rest of this season plays out, Sunderland expert Michael Graham has warned the club that they simply have to find an upgrade for one player if they want to make progress.
Michael Graham claims Patrick Roberts needs replacing
Taking to Twitter/X after the defeat to Leeds United, Graham offered his thoughts on the bigger picture regarding the Sunderland squad, and pinpointed Patrick Roberts as a player that the Black Cats cannot rely on any longer.
He wrote: “I really like Patrick Roberts and enjoy watching him, but if you look at how Sunderland could improve the most with one addition, it would be on the right wing. Sunderland will always have an unreliable final product as long as he does. Definitely THE position to look at this summer.”
Later, one fan suggested Eliezer Mayenda would be the best solution to this problem, but Graham objected strongly to that idea.
Graham replied: “Mayenda is an agent of chaos and I really like him. I don’t think he’s really the answer on the right, though. Very effective when the game is stretched and opens up, but is his touch in tight spaces good enough to break down teams in a low block?”
Patrick Roberts has been letting the side down for weeks
Popular opinion on Roberts is very much torn at the moment. Fans have questioned why he’s still starting for Sunderland, especially after his performance against Luton Town last week.
However, Sunderland legend Gary Bennett insists Roberts is ‘excellent’ and played up the winger’s ability to be a threat down the right for the Black Cats.
| Statistics | Patrick Roberts (2024/25) |
| Appearances | 32 |
| Minutes | 2,411 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Assists | 5 |
| xG | 5.1 |
| Shots on target | 16.9% |
| Shot-creating actions/90 | 4.37 |
If you ask us, Roberts has failed to fulfil his promise to contribute more goals to the team. His final ball is lacking and his decision-making in the final third is really letting Sunderland down.
Sunderland have players more than capable of converting chances, but Roberts simply isn’t creating enough of those chances. And, when he gets his own opportunity, it’s clear he is massively underperforming against his xG this season (two goals compared to an xG of just over five).
Whether Sunderland go up or not, their priority in the summer must surely be to add a new winger to the squad, someone who can not only compete with Roberts, but surpass him.