Match-winner against Tottenham opens up on difficult spell out and outlines belief ahead of season run-in
Nordi Mukiele admitted Sunderland can now “try to touch the stars” after his match-winning return against Tottenham Hotspur kept their European hopes alive.
Sunderland’s 1-0 win over Spurs moved them into the top half and within touching distance of the European places with six games remaining. Régis Le Bris’ side are now just two points off sixth, with a number of permutations this season potentially allowing up to 11 Premier League teams to qualify for Europe. The result also further secured their primary target of survival, allowing focus to shift towards a strong finish and possible continental qualification.
Mukiele marked his comeback from injury with the decisive goal in a 1-0 win at the Stadium of Light, capping a standout individual and team performance. Reflecting on the result, the defender made clear just how important the afternoon was for everyone connected with the club.
“A very good afternoon for me, for the team as well, for the fans, for everyone who worked for Sunderland,” he said. “It was a great day for us, I think, and I'm sure that we deserve to win today, because we really fought each other, we had good energy, the fans were, as always, good. At the end we took the three points, it was very important for us, and now we have to keep going like this.”
Mukiele’s goal ultimately proved the difference, even if there was a touch of fortune about the finish following a deflection.“Yeah, sometimes when you play you have to play with personality, and you have to try, and this is exactly what I did,” he said. “I just shot, and I was like, if you go in the target it's good, but thanks God that someone touched it and is going inside, and I'm very happy.
“I think this is what I always say to the guys, that sometimes we have to shoot, we don't know what's going on, if someone touches it or not, but we have to try. This is what I did, and I'm maybe lucky that it went on. I make a good choice to shoot, and I get this luck, and I'm very happy because I bring these three points for us.”
The goal was a fitting reward after a frustrating spell on the sidelines, with Mukiele revealing the mental challenge of his injury lay-off, which saw the former PSG man miss several games. “This period was difficult for me because I was in a good moment, and I didn't expect when you get injured, but I was very sad to miss all these weeks,” he said.
“I was just sad for one day, and I was like, I just have to work and come back stronger. And this is what I say when I get injured, I say we'll be back stronger, and this is exactly what I did. For these seven weeks I worked hard, and I think today it's a gift that I work very well, and after I come back and I just score, it's a good story. Now I'm very happy, I think I had fire in my legs. I haven't tired, I wanted to keep going, not stop, because I missed it, and today I played maybe 80 minutes, and I'm really happy to be back, and I feel very good, and this is the most important thing.”
The win keeps Sunderland firmly in the hunt for a top-half finish, and potentially more, heading into the final six games of the campaign. While Mukiele was keen to stress the importance of staying grounded, he did not shy away from setting ambitious targets. “Yeah, now our first target is done, we make it. Now we can say it's sure,” he said. “Now we have a new target, we have six games left, and we just have to take game by game, and to try to see where we can go.
“I don't want to put pressure on us, I think we have to stay humble, because it's very good what we do, what we did now, but I'm a football player, I love to play, and I love competition, so I will always put my target high. Now we can try to reach it, it's not going to be easy, but we have a good team, full of energy, and I just hope we will try to touch the stars. I believe in this team, in everyone who is working, and we just have to work, and I'm waiting for the next game next week.”
Mukiele also took time to reflect on the atmosphere at the Stadium of Light, admitting it had been something he missed during his absence. “Yeah, exactly, I miss it this time, this energy, everything around, I miss it a lot, and I just try to take it with me, also the team did it, so it's very good,” he said. “Like I say, I really love football, and the first minute I was on the pitch, I was really excited, like a kid, and everyone bringing their energy, and when we do this, we are amazing, like we did today, and I'm really happy for everyone.”
Sunderland are next in action away at Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday, April 19, with a 2pm kick-off at Villa Park, with Le Bris’ side hoping to push further up the table in the remaining six games of the season.
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