Despite Sunderland’s poor start to the season, Jermain Defoe is once again proving how good he is at the highest level.
Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe celebrates
After scoring 18 goals for Sunderland last season, and playing a major part in saving the Black Cats from relegation, many were surprised not to see the former Spurs forward picked as part of Roy Hodgson’s England squad for the Euros. With Sam Allardyce leaving the club at the end of the season to become the new England manager (albeit for a short space of time), Defoe once again found himself having to prove his ability to a new manager. This time, the former Manchester United and Everton boss, David Moyes.
Once again, Defoe started the season brightly, netting against Pep Guardiola’s new Manchester City side. Though the Black Cats lost the game 2-1 in the end, Defoe shone for Sunderland and looked to already be adapting well to David Moyes’ system.
Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe scores their first goal against Manchester City
Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe celebrates scoring
But unfortunately the results didn’t quite start ticking in the same way that Defoe had. An embarrassing 1-2 defeat to rivals Middlesbrough, followed by a 1-1 draw with Southampton made for a somewhat mixed start. Their performance against the Saints was particularly uninspiring, and once again the Black Cats turned to Defoe to rescue a point for them with a penalty.
Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe
September didn’t show any signs of improvement. Sunderland followed up a mixed August with three straight Premier League defeats to Everton, Spurs and Crystal Palace. Despite Defoe’s impressive double in the 2-3 defeat to Alan Pardew’s side, things were not looking good for the Black Cats.
Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe
However, starting slow was something that Sunderland fans had gotten quite used to when it comes to watching their side, and with players of Defoe’s quality in the team, all was certainly not lost at this early stage. Despite the poor start, Defoe sat comfortably in the top half of the league’s top scorer charts, showing once again why he should be at least considered for a call-up to the England squad.
Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe celebrates scoring
October wasn’t looking much better for Sunderland though, and after promising signs in a 1-1 draw with West Brom, the Black Cats again slumped to three straight defeats at the hands of Stoke City, West Ham and Arsenal. Defoe still managed to find the net in their 1-4 thrashing from Arsenal, but at this stage even his goals were struggling to give Sunderland fans anything to smile about.
Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny in action with Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe
Things needed to change quickly, as pressure began to mount on David Moyes’ head. After Sam Allardyce’s sharp exit from his England role, some Sunderland fans were even starting to wonder whether they should turn to the ex-Hammers boss to come in and save them from relegation again.
Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe
However, finally in November, Sunderland seemed to have found their feet. The Black Cats started the month by fighting their way to a tough 1-2 win at Eddie Howe’s impressive Bournemouth side. Defoe again scored the winner, taking Defoe’s tally for the season up to six.
Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe celebrates a goal
And then, coming up against Mike Phelan’s Hull City, Sunderland switched on the champagne football. Despite having a player sent off, Sunderland smashed Hull 3-0, with Defoe once again opening the scoring for the Black Cats.
Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe celebrates scoring their first goal against Hull
Sitting now as the joint third top scorer in the Premier League, Jermain Defoe is once again showing, under a new manager and a new system, that he is still a top striker at the elite level of English football, making many Sunderland fans and football fans alike wonder: what has he got to do to get back in the England team?
Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe celebrates scoring
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