Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray believes midfielder Dan Neil is Premier League bound, either with the Black Cats or another side.
The Black Cats secured a momentous three points at the weekend with a 1-0 victory over Norwich City at Carrow Road.
Mowbray’s side pulled off a shock result as they ended a run of three straight defeats by ending Norwich’s three game winning run, completely upsetting the form book. The win also moves Sunderland into 10th place and just three points behind David Wagner’s side, who dropped out of the play-off spots as a result.
Following the win, Mowbray was jubilant with his side’s bounce back to form and singled out one Black Cats star in particular. Speaking to Sunderland Echo Mowbray hailed Neil, saying:
“I genuinely think Dan Neil is on a journey which will, hopefully with this club, take him to the Premier League. If it’s not this club and we can’t get there fast enough I think the Premier League will phone up about him.”
Premier League bound?
Neil has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the Black Cats’ midfield in the previous 18 months. The 21-year-old featured 39 times last campaign in League One, netting three goals and seven assists as one of the sides’ and Alex Neil’s go to players.
Following promotion last summer and a change in the dugout, Neil has kept his place and has continued to shine at the Stadium of Light, playing every Championship game so far this season with the exception of Stoke City in August, due to suspension.
Sunderland’s victory at the weekend has brought them back onto the fringes of the play-off race, with the gap now down to five points behind 6th place Millwall.
But given their wretched injury situation that was made worse last week with Aji Alese ruled out for the rest of the season through injury, it would be an incredible achievement if Mowbray’s side can finish in a play-off spot and potentially secure Neil’s future.
Sunderland travel to 2nd place Sheffield United on Wednesday, with kick-off at 8pm and shown live on Sky Sports.
