Lynden Gooch has claimed that Sunderland will go on to be successful as long as the team maintains faith in Alex Neil.

The Black Cats boss arrived at the club last February and led the team back to the Championship following play-off success in May.

Sunderland hosted their first second division clash in four years last weekend when the team earned a 1-1 draw with Coventry City.

The American has been with the team since their relegation to League One in 2018 so has been through a lot of lows at the Stadium of Light.

But he has put his faith in Neil to bring good times back to the club, with his experience helping guide the younger players in the team through the transition up the English football pyramid.

"We do have plenty of players who have played in the division before.” said Gooch, via the Northern Echo.

“That obviously helps but we've also got lads who are younger who haven't so it's a learning curve for everyone involved.

"I think if we just keep trusting the manager in what he wants us to do, then we will be fine."

Sunderland will be aiming to survive their first campaign back in the Championship after an extended stay in League One.

It was a positive opening weekend for the team to earn a point against a competitive Coventry side, with a good performance to go along with the result.

Up next for Neil’s side is a trip to face Bristol City later this afternoon.

The Verdict

Given the amount of managers who tried and failed to get Sunderland promoted back to the Championship, Neil has rightly earned the admiration of his players.

Gooch has seen a lot of low points in his time at Sunderland, so earning promotion in May would have been a huge moment of relief for him and the club.

But now the challenge will be sticking to Neil’s methods and attempting to stay competitive in the Championship.

Last Sunday was a good result and performance, but that level will be needed every week to have a good season ahead.