Wahbi Khazri barely started a game as David Moyes took Sunderland from the Premier League to the Championship in 2017.
Two years on, Sunderland fans are still scratching their heads wondering why on earth Wahbi Khazri couldn’t buy a game under David Moyes.
The Black Cats had used up all of their lives by the time the 2016/17 season came to an end with Moyes dragging a side who had pulled off Houdini-esque acts of escapology under Gus Poyet, Dick Advocaat and Sam Allardyce through the trapdoor.
One of the worst seasons in Sunderland’s history was characterised by a galling lack of creativity with Jermain Defoe scoring over half of their 29 league goals. But Khazri still found himself mysteriously out of favour.
The Tunisian playmaker, who was pretty much the only player in Moyes’ squad capable of creating chances on a regular basis, started just seven games all season.
Now, Sunderland are taking on the likes of Rochdale and Gillingham in the third tier these days and it seems that Khazri got out at the right time.
The 28-year-old eventually returned to France with a £6 million move to St Etienne (L’Equipe) and, while Sunderland are preparing to go head-to-head with crisis club Bolton Wanderers, Khazri was lighting up the continent with one of the most ferocious shots you will see all season on Thursday night.
He fizzed a stunning strike into the top corner during St Etienne’s Europa League group stage clash against Genk, giving Sunderland fans everywhere even more reason to regret the David Moyes era.
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