Noah Sadiki says Sunderland must stay focused after beating Wolves as they prepare to face Chelsea
The win – secured through Nordi Mukiele’s first-half strike and a late Ladislav Krejci own goal – lifted Régis Le Bris’ side to seventh in the table and continued their unbeaten home run.
“It was difficult, especially the second half,” Sadiki said after the game. “I think we started quite well with the goal of Nody. Then in the second half, we dropped a little bit, got lower on the pitch. Maybe we could have been a bit higher, but then we got this goal from them, so it's good. Sometimes it's not quite about the performance, it's about the result, and we did what we could to get what we needed from this game.”
The DR Congo international admitted Wolves caused problems after the break, but praised Sunderland’s structure and ability to manage the game under pressure. “I think we did everything to get the three points, and we got it. I think we deserved it if you watched the game. But we saw that the Wolves' team wasn't bad. It was really good, actually. They brought us into difficulties, and we could respond to that. That's fortunate for us; we finished with a clean sheet again.”
Sadiki, who produced another tireless display in midfield, has quickly established himself as a key figure in Le Bris’ system – combining energy and intelligence in the heart of the side. “Yeah, I'm trying to do my best every week for the team,” he said. “They give me a lot, especially the staff, the players, the fans. I'm trying to give what I can, and I'm happy to contribute to the wins.”
The 20-year-old recently returned from international duty with DR Congo after suffering an ankle injury and admitted the result was the perfect way to round off a busy fortnight. When asked how he was, Sadiki responded: “Really great, especially because I didn't play in the international. My team did the work, and I'm happy for the country and for the team. And now I'm back, we won again, so I'm the happiest man in the world.”
With Sunderland now sitting comfortably in the top half of the table, Sadiki says the focus remains on consistency and momentum ahead of another challenging test. “It's good, because we come back with a positive mentality, a positive vibe. Winning after the break is really important. Now we can look to Chelsea with a clean head, a cool mind and focus on the game.”
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The midfielder also highlighted the importance of turning the Stadium of Light into a fortress, crediting the fans for their backing throughout the season. “Yeah, it's important to keep our home clean, to not lose at home. It's one of our goals this season, I think. Every time we step on the pitch at home, we know what we have to do. We don't want to lose, because we have plenty of fans behind us and we want to reward them for the noise they're making. So, yeah, we have a clear goal, I would say.”
Looking ahead to next weekend’s trip to Stamford Bridge, Sadiki said the squad are embracing the challenge. “Yeah, it's going to be a big game. I think we've had the most big games right now, but Chelsea is going to be one of the biggest of the season.”
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