Jack Ross surprisingly admits he’s becoming irritated with huge praise for Jon McLaughlin

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Sunderland drew 1-1 away at Oxford United on Saturday afternoon.

Sunderland boss Jack Ross has told the Sunderland Echo that he is ‘slightly irritated’ with the praise for goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin.

The Black Cats were in League One action on Saturday afternoon, travelling to the Kassam Stadium to take on Oxford United.

Sunderland took a first half lead, as January loan signing Jimmy Dunne grabbed his first goal for the club, heading into the net from a corner.

Sunderland nearly made it back to Wearside with all three points, but a late goal from West Ham United loanee Marcus Browne rescued a point for Oxford despite Sunderland appeals for a foul on Dunne.

It will definitely have felt like two points dropped for Sunderland, but it could have been even worse if not for goalkeeper McLaughlin.

The summer signing from Hearts has starred this season, and turned in another strong performance at Oxford before Browne’s late goal.

McLaughlin made fine stops from Josh Ruffels and James Henry among others to keep Oxford at bay, until ex-Sunderland loanee Jerome Sinclair set up Browne for a tap-in.

McLaughlin was hailed after the game, but manager Ross surprisingly admitted that he’s ‘irritated’ with the obsession over the goalkeeper making saves.

Ross suggested that nobody remembers Peter Schmeichel making saves because he had nothing to do, seemingly urging his players to protect McLaughlin anyway whilst preventing goals is pretty much McLaughlin’s job.

“I get slightly irritated with this fascination with my goalkeeper making saves,” said Ross. “I grew up watching Manchester United, who were the best team when I grew up. People don’t remember Peter Schmeichel because he had nothing to do. He made big saves. Jon made some big saves, he’s a good goalkeeper and that’s why I brought him to the club.:

“Away from home, you need your goalkeeper to make saves, he made a couple of good saves. We have to be careful we don’t get caught up in this whirl around this club. He made some good saves today, I don’t think we were brilliant but we got ourselves in a good position to go and win the game and Jon helped us to do that,” he added.