Sunderland finally got back to winning ways over the weekend, but it was a hugely important victory for one player who redeemed himself after recent struggles.
After five draws and a defeat in their last six games, winning by any means possible was all that mattered for Sunderland against Stoke City on Saturday.
The manner of the win will have pleased Regis Le Bris, though, with Sunderland fighting back from a deficit for the first time this season.
A number of players stood out, too, and while Tommy Watson stole the show in Sunderland AFC News’ player ratings, another finally appeared to be back to his best.
- READ MORE: One Sunderland star let Regis Le Bris down vs Stoke City, ‘fantastic’ player must replace him
Patrick Roberts was dangerous against Stoke City
After his devastating penalty miss against Sheffield United, Patrick Roberts looked low on confidence and it was thought his place in Le Bris’ lineup was at risk.
Indeed, Sunderland fans were calling for Roberts to be benched for the Stoke game, but the winger remained in the starting XI and ended up being one of the best players on the pitch.
Roberts registered the assist for Tommy Watson’s winning goal on the day, but more importantly, he looked hungry and eager to make something happen all game. Clearly, he was desperate to prove his worth after the costly mistake against the Blades.
| Statistics | Patrick Roberts vs Stoke City |
|---|---|
| Minutes played | 90 |
| Assists | 1 |
| Pass success | 81% |
| Dribble success | 100% |
| Duel success | 60% |
| Shots | 3 |
From the opening minutes of the game, you could see Roberts had a point to prove. Picking the ball up on the right, the winger cut inside onto his favoured left foot, weaving in and out of the Stoke defence before firing narrowly over the bar.
The 27-year-old continued to threaten throughout, successfully penetrating the Stoke backline a number of times with his passing and dribbling, and he was on hand to deliver in the dying moments when his team needed a breakthrough to get the three points.
Eliezer Mayenda is breathing right down Roberts’ neck
During the game against Stoke, fans had called for Regis Le Bris to make changes in order to turn the tide in the Black Cats’ favour. The Sunderland boss remained patient, and it was the right decision.
He did introduce Eliezer Mayenda with just over ten minutes to go, though, and the young winger looked very lively indeed.
Mayenda has been pushing for a starting spot since his performance against Millwall last month, and after another exciting display against Stoke, the young Spaniard is knocking on the door even louder now.
Ultimately, it’s a good job Roberts played so well against Stoke, or Le Bris may well have been swapping him out for Mayenda when it comes to the next game against Bristol City on Tuesday.