Sunderland caretaker boss Robbie Stockdale admits he wanted to take Paddy McNair off sooner… but was unable to

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Sunderland had to leave Paddy McNair on for 77 minutes against Middlesbrough, which wasn’t Robbie Stockdale’s plan.

Sunderland caretaker boss Robbie Stockdale has admitted to the Shields Gazette that he had to leave Paddy McNair on the field for far longer than he wanted to at the Riverside Stadium.

McNair is only just returning from injury for Sunderland, but he was given 77 minutes of action against Middlesbrough.

Sunderland had intended to take McNair off much sooner, but injuries to Adam Matthews and Didier Ndong disrupted Stockdale’s plans.

And Stockdale admitted: “We were forced into substitutions early and Paddy (McNair) played longer than we were hoping he would play.

“That injury to Billy and then to Didier probably affected our game plan a little bit and then John O’Shea was struggling with his calf a little bit, so we were holding on for the next substitution as it would have been our last one.”

Sunderland ended up losing 1-0 to Boro, after putting in yet another disappointing performance.

There was hope that Simon Grayson’s dismissal would have injected some life into Sunderland, but there was little reaction at the Riverside Stadium.

The Black Cats went behind early on, when Marcus Tavernier scored for the hosts, and Sunderland rarely threatened to get back into the contest.

The Black Cats are now sat at the bottom of the Championship table, and their next managerial appointment will be crucial to the club’s future.