Romaine Mundle is back in a Sunderland shirt, joining Leo Hjelde and Dennis Cirkin with the U21s
Sunderland earn Ian Wright’s vote for best away fans as Roy Keane, Rooney and others share their choices
Speaking on Stick to Football, Wright was emphatic when asked to pick the best away fans in the division. He said: “Probably say Sunderland. I'm going to go Sunderland for my dear friend Steph Houghton. They are the best, and Jill Scott.”
His praise comes at a time when Sunderland’s away end has become one of the Premier League’s most talked-about sights this season, with sell-outs across the country and viral clips of travelling fans turning grounds red and white on a weekly basis. Former Sunderland manager Roy Keane, however, opted for one of Sunderland’s Premier League rivals. He said: “Best away fans? Everton.” Wayne Rooney agreed with Keane’s assessment, adding: “Well, if it's not United, then Everton.”
Jamie Carragher offered a different view based on his own experience in the gantry. “You know, I think of great away fans. Man United, whenever I commentate on United, they always make a big racket, wherever they are. So I'd say Man United.” Gary Neville, meanwhile, cast his net beyond England before settling on his domestic choice**:** “Best away fans I've seen are either Galatasaray or Dortmund. Best fans would be Leicester Town fans. In England, Crystal Palace.”
Roy Keane makes Sunderland fan claim to national audience
Keane recently hailed Sunderland supporters as “the best in the world” during a lively discussion on The Overlap, as the pundits debated the biggest surprises of the Premier League season so far.
The former Black Cats boss was speaking after Neville opened the segment by asking the panel to pick out the standout shocks of the campaign: “Player, club, Sunderland maybe? Or player?” Scott was the first to respond, saying: “Sunderland are doing so well.”
Neville agreed that the Black Cats were firmly in the conversation, adding: “Club is definitely Sunderland, I would imagine. Player, big surprise.” Before the discussion moved on, Keane briefly acknowledged Arsenal’s blistering form this season, saying: “You know what, Sunderland have been pretty good, but how good have Arsenal been? How many points do they have now? Six, seven points clear?”
Neville then suggested a potential surprise name, saying: “Semenyo?” Paul Scholes was unsure, asking: “Is that a surprise?” while Ian Wright dismissed it, replying: “That’s not a surprise.” Scott offered her own shock of the season: “Forest onto their third manager, that’s a surprise.”
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Attention soon returned to Sunderland, with Wright saying: “I think, you know what, we’re mentioning Sunderland. I’ve mentioned Xhaka. Because he’s come there, right?” Keane cut in with a short verdict on the midfielder: “Great appetite.” Wright then expanded on why Xhaka has impressed him this season, noting: “He’s gone there. He knows the Premier League. He’s gone there to a club that they don’t expect much, but they kind of just want what they want from the players. And for him to go and kind of be the heart of it in what he does, because he’s that fiery cat. He’s a driven guy. He’s very much in the leadership groups.”
Keane then delivered the line that will resonate most with Sunderland fans, saying: “If you’re playing for Sunderland, Wrighty, and you turn up and you put a shift in, Sunderland fans are the best in the world. Players put a shift in. The other night, they weren’t great. Everton should have been two or three below. But if you dig in at Sunderland and you show up, they’re fighting.”
Wright continued his praise of Xhaka, saying: “It’s just the pressure that a player like Xhaka’s got. Because they’re signing him because they have to get the one. You know what I mean? The one to go in there and be that controlling force.” Scholes also highlighted Xhaka’s resurgence following his Arsenal spell and success in Germany, saying: “He’s done really well since his Arsenal days, right? He went to Germany and won the league.” Keane echoed that sentiment, adding: “I liked him at Arsenal. I thought he was a good player. Did he ever run in with the fans or whatever? I thought he was a good player.”
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Wright then delivered his overall verdict, saying: “I’m going to go with Granit. I’m really pleased with him.” Neville rounded off the segment with: “Xhaka and Sunderland?” and Wright replied: “Yeah, I would do, yeah. There’s other people I’ve not mentioned, but he just comes to mind.”
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