"It was a good game against a really strong opponent, one of the best in Europe. [It was] important to defend properly. We showed we can defend high, when they came a bit higher with their quality, we had to manage the ball in the final third. They created many chances, but the character was good. Even when we were on the edge, we had one foot, one head, something to protect the ball."
"It was important to escape their counter press, they were excellent a few weeks ago at the Etihad, and it was impossible to escape their counter press. We did well with that today. We are growing and learning from different experiences. It's a question of experience, the standards in our team are high. They want to get better. If you stay at the same level, the league is going so fast that you'll be finished. They are still ambitious."
Sunderland earned a hard-fought draw with Manchester City at the Stadium of Light after spending much of the match on the back foot. The team showed improved defensive discipline, defending high at times, managing the ball in the final third and coping with Manchester City's counter-press. The performance represented clear progress since a 3-0 defeat at the Etihad and demonstrated growing experience and high internal standards. Sunderland sit seventh at the turn of the year, have taken points from each of the division's top five teams since promotion, and remain unbeaten in their first ten Premier League home games.
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