Chemsdine Talbi spoke confidently after scoring against Burnley as Sunderland prepare to face Arsenal and Liverpool
Chemsdine Talbi says Sunderland will approach upcoming clashes with Arsenal and Liverpool with belief rather than fear, after scoring in the Black Cats’ 3-0 win over Burnley at the Stadium of Light.
Talbi capped an impressive team performance by finding the net as Sunderland continued their strong Premier League campaign, and he made it clear afterwards that attention has already turned to the challenge ahead.
“Yeah, we know Arsenal is a big club, Liverpool is a big club, but we showed this season that we can face every team, and in the Premier League, everything can happen. So we will take this game 100% and go full to get the three points there.”
The winger admitted that playing in the Premier League still carries a sense of disbelief, having grown up watching the division from afar. “Yeah, I watched the Prem when I was growing up. The Premier League is the best league in the world. So when I was young, I was looking. I never thought I would play here, but now I'm here, and I'm really pleased.”
Facing clubs such as Arsenal and Liverpool, Talbi said, are the moments he once dreamed of as a child. “When you're a kid you look at these teams, you dream about playing them. It’s been hard work, long years of hard working, but now I'm here. I'm really pleased with that.”
With Sunderland heading into a demanding run of fixtures, Talbi stressed the importance of recovery following a physically intense outing against Burnley, while backing the squad’s depth to cope. “We know big games are coming. We will recover good because today was a heavy game. But we have a great squad and we can face everything.”
As talk of European qualification continues to build, Talbi acknowledged that progress at this stage of the season means going toe-to-toe with the league’s strongest sides, starting with Arsenal. “Yeah, it will not be easy. We face the best teams of the league now, and I think we can do a great job. But now we need to focus on the recovery and then the next game, Arsenal.”
Speaking after scoring a superb goal against Burnley at the Stadium of Light, Talbi explained how the opportunity unfolded in front of him. “I saw the space in front of me, so I had no doubt about it. I saw the second post free, so yeah – perfect.”
The 3-0 victory also represented an immediate response from Sunderland following their heavy defeat to West Ham in the previous league outing, something Talbi felt was crucial given the standards the squad set for themselves.
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“West Ham was not enough intensity from the start, and we are a team that gives a lot of intensity,” Talbi added. “That’s our culture and our discipline in games. There wasn’t enough against West Ham, but today we showed from the first seconds that we are here, and we are at home – nobody will take points here.”
Sunderland’s win also came without captain and talisman Granit Xhaka, marking the first time the Black Cats have picked up a victory in his absence this season. Talbi believes that only underlined the strength of the group. “We have great players on the bench,” he said. “We are a squad, and even if somebody is not here, we have people to replace them. So I’m really, really pleased with that.”
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