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Sunderland’s hopes of advancing to their first FA Cup quarter-final in over a decade were dashed as they suffered a surprising 1-0 defeat to Port Vale. Despite dominating possession and registering 17 shots on goal, the Black Cats were unable to break down the Valiants’ defense. The absence of Granit Xhaka’s midfield control was a significant factor, as highlighted by former Premier League striker Glenn Murray.
Glenn Murray said: “If there’s one man you need when you have got a lot of possession it’s probably the man they left on the bench – Granit Xhaka – who can actually control the tempo of the game.”
Andy Reid said: “We know Sunderland are going to be in the Premier League next year so this is in a lot of ways a free hit where they could go and really concentrate on it [the FA Cup]. They put out as strong a team as possible and they just never really got going today in terms of any quality.”
Ellen White said: “When they possessed the ball they couldn’t quite figure out or have that end product. That’s what that team is designed to do [with] the profile of the players.”
Despite making only two changes from the side that defeated Leeds United, Sunderland struggled to find the necessary quality to overcome Port Vale, who currently sit at the bottom of League One. The Black Cats’ manager, Régis Le Bris, decided to start Xhaka on the bench, citing the need to manage the 33-year-old’s workload. However, Xhaka’s late introduction was insufficient to alter the game’s outcome.
This defeat underscores Sunderland’s ongoing challenges when tasked with breaking down defensive teams. Under Le Bris, the team has lost 16 out of 35 matches where they held over 50% possession, winning only 11. The match highlighted the importance of Xhaka’s role in controlling the game, a factor that could be crucial for Sunderland as they aim for Premier League promotion next season.
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