Disappointment is becoming the normal feeling around the Stadium of Light, so there is no surprise that Preston left with three points condemning Sunderland to a 2-0 defeat.
Today’s defeat means that boss Chris Coleman has an 18.1% win percentage in charge of Sunderland. Although, that is a slight improvement to ex Sunderland boss Simon Grayson’s 16.7% win rate.
Preston remain right in the thick of a battle for a play-off place in the Championship after recording a 2-0 win that has pushed Sunderland closer to the drop.
Former Cork City striker Sean Maguire put Alex Neil’s on track with his seventh goal in as many matches five minutes after the break.
And then, after Sunderland defender Jake Clarke-Salter was red carded for the second time in a red and white shirt, Callum Robinson headed in the visitors’ second in the 63rd minute.
After that Sunderland, whose fans jeered and booed after witnessing another positive start come to nothing, could not find a way back in the freezing temperatures and the fall into League One looks on the cards.
While Millwall’s victory at Barnsley in the earlier kick-off created an opportunity for Sunderland to close a five-point gap to safety.
Sunderland fans are understandably furious about the antics at their club.
Send every loan player back and play our own kids. Ejaria, JCS, Fletcher offer nothing at all. Why restrict our own players for that dross? #SAFC
— Scott (@76skelly) March 17, 2018
Would be less embarrassing to forfeit our last 8 games. Pathetic #SAFC
— Wise Men Say Podcast (@WiseMenSayPod) March 17, 2018
The worst #SAFC side of all time. That’s the worst in ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY NINE YEARS.
— Mark Evans (@Evs_Dubai) March 17, 2018
https://twitter.com/adamhutch_safc/status/975059554747797504
https://twitter.com/WilliamsonsDC/status/975045549735936003