Sunderland are struggling in the league but remain in the EFL Cup.
Sunderland manager David Moyes has said he would like a strong showing the EFL Cup this season, but has stressed that their Premier League campaign is the priority, the Chronicle reports.
Moyes takes his side down to Southampton with the aim of booking a place in the quarter-finals of the competition, but managing to turn the side’s fortunes around in the league is of greater importance.
The Black Cats boss is quoted in the Chronicle, saying: “If we can get a good cup run, that would be great. But of course the Premier League is the thing we need to concentrate on, that has to be the focus.
“I hope we can do well in the cup, though – I’d love to get through to the later rounds – but if you give me a choice, I’ll take the Premier League all day long.”
Sunderland’s only two wins this season have come in the EFL Cup, both against sides in the lower divisions, but the squad could do with a confidence boost.
Their situation in the Premier League, even after just nine games, is pretty perilous having picked up just two points, leaving them five points adrift from safety.
They face a Southampton side that is high on confidence and in good form, so if Sunderland managed to knock them out of the competition it could provide a significant morale boost and Moyes would hope his side can generate some momentum from it.
At the moment, given how poor Sunderland’s start to the season has been, any win will surely do to try to lift spirits around the club.
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