Phil Smith reflects on Sunderland 0-0 Man City
Eliezer Mayenda reflects on patience, starting chances and his Manchester City performance at the Stadium of Light
Eliezer Mayenda insisted patience had been key after responding to questions over frustration with a composed display in Sunderland’s draw against Manchester City.
The forward was handed his first start since August at the Stadium of Light and completed the full 90 minutes as Régis Le Bris’ side continued their impressive home form in the Premier League. Asked about limited opportunities earlier in the campaign, Mayenda was clear that waiting for his chance had always been part of the process.
“It hasn’t really been frustrating. Every player wants to play, so that feeling is normal. That’s not just me, all the players want to play,” Mayenda said. “But sometimes you have to be patient and wait for your moment, and today it was a good game for me. I was back in the starting XI, and I tried to do my best to help the team. That is always the most important thing. It’s always a little bit frustrating when you don’t play, but that’s part of football, you have to wait and keep working.”
Mayenda added that Sunderland’s results made patience even more important. “Sometimes, you just have to wait. Everybody wants to play, but sometimes when the team is getting good results, you have to wait. Then, when you play, you just have to do your best. Today was a good game because I played for 90 minutes and I was very happy about that. I’m always ready to play, even if it’s ten or 15 minutes, you have to be ready to play. I was ready, and I’m very happy.”
Despite facing Manchester City, the 20-year-old said he never felt short of match sharpness. “I feel ready to play in every game. Today wasn’t really tough for me. I’ve always been ready. I started the season as part of the team, and I try to do my best every day on the training ground. If you train properly, then the game can be easier, even if you haven’t been playing in some games. I didn’t find it tough. I was ready to play, and my teammates helped me a lot as well. It was a good game.”
Mayenda also highlighted the standards set by Sunderland’s defenders in training. “You come up against some good defenders in the Premier League – but none of them are better than the players I have to face in training. Look at the way Nordi and Omar played – and then we have Dan Ballard as well. Imagine having to play against them every day. We have tough, tough defenders.”
He stressed that Sunderland’s defensive strength was a collective effort. “They have been big players for us this season, when you talk about our defending, it is not just the players in the middle. It is everyone. The full-backs – Dennis, Lutsha and Trai – and the whole of the team really. I think we are a team who all want to defend. We have to keep going in that same way, defensively. Obviously, if you want to win the game then offensively we have to improve a little bit more. But we have time to make that improvement. We are in a good position, and I think all the team is doing well. We are in a good moment, and we will try to get some more points this weekend.”
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Looking back on his journey, Mayenda admitted nights like this once felt a long way off. “If I look back to the start of my time here, and especially the time when I was on loan at Hibs, then if I’m honest, I didn’t really think that after a couple of years, I would be playing against Man City. I suppose it didn’t really look likely, although I have always believed in myself.
“I know I am a good player, and I know Sunderland is a really good club, so you have to have that belief. Right now, I try to do my best in every game, and I don’t think I have any limits. If you work well, you don’t have limits. But to be fair, looking back, I probably couldn’t imagine what was going to happen. But I am very happy. I am here now, and I am trying to do my best in every game in the Prem. Hopefully, I will continue like this.”
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