Putting the memories of last Saturday’s devastating 3-0 loss at home to Coventry City behind them, Sunderland overcame the Tigers in the final playoff spot with a commanding victory against Hull City at the MKM Stadium on Boxing Day. This was Michael Beale’s first game in the dugout.
Jack Clarke, who has been a hero all season, scored the game’s lone goal to secure all three points for his team and put himself on 11 goals for the season in the Championship.
This season, the 23-year-old has carried the heaviest goal-scoring load for the Black Cats; however, Beale may ease Clarke’s load by bringing in one former player in January.
News about Amad Diallo’s transfer to Sunderland
Despite the fact that Mad Diallo has not played a minute for the Red Devils this season, Football Insider revealed over the Christmas break that Manchester United is willing to allow him to return on loan in January. According to reports, Sunderland is eager to sign the Ivorian attacker again following his excellent campaign in England’s second division the previous year.
Diallo suffered a serious knee injury during the English giants’ preseason, which has kept him out of action for the most of the campaign. As a result, despite the £9 million forward’s recent return to training, the young player has not yet appeared for head coach Erik ten Hag in a competitive match this season.
Come on, let’s go!σ’ª#MUFCpic.twitter.com/0AUL2uSWNk @AmadDiallo_1919 December 2023 — Manchester United (@ManUtd)
The Atalanta youth product was reportedly eager to fight for his spot at Old Trafford, but it now appears that he may not have that choice, and a return to the Stadium of Light might be exactly what’s needed for everyone.
Stats for Amad Diallo for 2022–2023
After signing a season-long loan deal with Sunderland at the start of the previous campaign, Diallo quickly rose to fame on Wearside. With 14 goals in all competitions, the Ivory Coast international finished the season as Sunderland’s top goalscorer. Tony Mowbray’s team achieved an unprecedented finish inside the playoff spots, but they were ultimately defeated by Luton Town in the semi-finals.Mowbray went so far as to call Diallo “magic” while the loanee tied for eighth place in the league’s scoring standings.
Championship Top Goalscorer Charts – 2022/23 Player Goals Expected Goals Chuba Akpom 28 21.9 Viktor Gyokeres 21 19.5 Carlton Morris 20 15 Joel Piroe 19 18.5 Tom Bradshaw 17 13.9 Nathan Tella 17 10.3 Zian Flemming 15 9.6 Ben Brereton Diaz 14 11.9 Iliman Ndiaye 14 12.8 Jerry Yates 14 11.2 Amad Diallo 13 8.1 Stats via FBref
Still, this season’s Sunderland is much more dependent on one player than it was in the previous one, which is a difference between the two campaigns. This season, the Black Cats have scored 33 goals in the Championship. Only 11 teams have scored less goals this time around, though. Furthermore, Jack Clarke has scored 33.3% of the team’s goals in the league so far this year.
Three Sunderland players—Diallo, Ross Stewart, and Clarke—scored ten or more goals in all competitions during the 2022–2023 season. Ellis Simms came in second with seven goals. Dan Neil and Jobe Bellingham currently share the team’s second-highest goalscoring position with four goals apiece.
Beale’s biggest task is to address the team’s weakness at the top. The number “9” position has been rotated by Nazariy Rusyn, Hemir Semedo, Mason Burstow, Jewison Bennette, and Eliezer Mayenda at various points during the season, but none of them have been able to convert a single opportunity, so the manager has to get inventive up top.
Bradley Dack was thrown up top by Beale on Boxing Day, but the former Blackburn Rovers player had no effect at all, managing just one shot with a pitiful xG of 0.07 before being replaced in the 44th minute due to an injury. The 29-year-old’s performance earned him a 6/10 match rating from Chronicle Live.
However, considering how effective Clarke has been for Sunderland this season, Beale might try him up front with the possible arrival of Diallo. The former Tottenham Hotspur player has only made four starts at the front of the attack, but his record is respectable.
| Jack Clarke Stats At Sunderland | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Left Midfielder | 40 | 13 | 6 |
| Left-Winger | 36 | 8 | 10 |
| Centre-Forward | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Right-Winger | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Attacking Midfielder | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Right Midfielder | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Stats via Transfermarkt | |||
In addition, the new manager could put Diallo out on the wing in Clarke’s position to alleviate the loss of the Englishman on the flanks. While Sunderland may lose some aerial threat, the side will have a much better balance in the forward line and won’t be as reliant on Clarke’s goals with the addition of Diallo.
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