Sunderland are desperate for points, but their manager sees Saturday’s clash as any other game, as it is not their derby match.
Chris Coleman turned up the heat ahead of Saturday’s Wear-Tees derby by insisting Sunderland and Middlesbrough are not rivals at all, per the Gazzette.
Both teams – and particularly Sunderland – consider Newcastle United to be their primary nemeses, but Rafa Benitez’s men are currently plying their trade in the Premier League.
Sunderland have instead had to turn to Boro for some sort of local niggle in the Championship, even if a number of Black Cats fans do not consider the Teessiders to be their rivals at all.
And Coleman has now waded into the debate by clarifying that he and the players do not class Boro on a similar level to Newcastle, adding that they are “the same as Hull”.
That is sure to grate on some Boro fans, who will be desperate to further Sunderland’s misery and set them on their way to League One with an away win at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.
Coleman’s comments have at least gained favour with a number of Wearsiders, though…
This will be the third time Sunderland face Boro this season, with the Riverside outfit twice beating their North-East neighbours at home, in league and cup.
The Black Cats will look to set the record straight and any points this weekend will be far more important than a pre-match quibble.
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