Sunderland will face either Port Vale or Bristol City in the next round of the FA Cup.
Former Sunderland icon Marco Gabbiadini has claimed that the Black Cats have an “ideal” opportunity to go far in the FA Cup this season, after booking their place in the fifth round of the competition.
And reacting to the draw on Monday evening, Gabbiadini suggested that Sunderland will be delighted with the outcome, as well as stating his belief that the Black Cats can put together a decent run in the tournament this term.
What did Marco Gabbiadini say about Sunderland’s FA Cup draw?
Speaking on BBC Radio Newcastle’s Total Sport, the ex-striker said: “I think they [Sunderland] would be very happy with that, wouldn't they? I mean, there was a lot of Premier League teams in there, as you'd expect. And to avoid them...
“Well, this is a good year for Sunderland. After what we've achieved in that first half of the season, an FA Cup run, or carrying on in the FA Cup, is ideal, isn't it? It's an opportunity to reward the fans for their loyalty over the last few years, and it's not a bad draw, is it? You would expect us to put out a decent team for the chance of getting into the sixth round.”
Assessing both Port Vale, who currently sit bottom of League One, and Bristol City, Gabbiadini continued: “Talk about having nothing, or not much, to fight for [in Port Vale’s case]. Sometimes they are the worst scenarios.
“I mean, Bristol City are such a nearly team, aren't they? They keep having a go at getting up to the Premier League, just can't quite manage it, and falling back for a couple of years, then picking up again. You know, you've got to fancy Sunderland against either of those sides, to be fair.”
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What else has been said about Sunderland’s FA Cup hopes?
Elsewhere, in a recent interview with TNT Sports, Sunderland defender Dan Ballard admitted that he and his teammates are eager to keep progressing through the rounds in the FA Cup.
He said: “I think the goal at the start of the season was to get to 40 points, and we're not quite there yet so that's the goal for now. Hopefully we can get there sooner rather than later and then we can start to set a new goal. I think the club has an emphasis. We played a really strong team in the FA Cup and I feel like we're in a good position with the squad where we can hopefully win a few games and see where it takes us.”
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