Victor Anichebe returned after three months out against Leicester City – but he will not keep Sunderland up.
It’s Sunderland’s worst nightmare. Jermain Defoe, scorer of 58 per cent of Sunderland’s goals this season, has now gone six games without hitting the target in the Premier League. As such, his team haven’t netted a single goal in that time either, leaving them dead, buried and eight points adrift of safety, the Sunderland Echo reports.
Yes, it always felt as if Sunderland’s utter dependence upon their 34-year-old striker would catch up to them in the end. Defoe has carried the club’s attacking burden on his shoulders alone since arriving from Toronto FC in January last year.
And it speaks volumes that Fabio Borini and Adnan Januzaj, who flanked Defoe in Saturday’s insipid loss at Watford, have netted just once between them all season.
At least Victor Anichebe has three. Although they all came in the space of two games in November.
“Getting Victor Anichebe back will help us. I am not saying he is going to be prolific but he will maybe help us make more opportunities,” Moyes said after Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat at Leicester City, as reported by the Sunderland Echo.
The Nigerian, a Moyes favourite from their time at Everton, returned after three months out in the second half, hitting the post in a rare attack.
Yet, the fact that Moyes is relying upon a striker who has averaged just 16 Premier League appearances and two goals since making his debut in 2005 speaks volumes about Sunderland’s desperation.
Anichebe may hold the ball up well, bring his team-mates into play but he will not fire them to safety. Not even Jermain Defoe can do that.
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