Allardyce: New players deserve credit and have lifted Sunderland

Sam Allardyce: Plenty to smile about

Sam Allardyce: Plenty to smile about

Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce was thrilled with both his side’s performance and the result as two of his January signings helped them record a 2-1 win over Manchester United on Saturday.

Lamine Kone and Wahbi Khazri in particular shone once for the hosts as Louis van Gaal’s side were beaten at the Stadium of Light.

After the match, a delighted Allardyce said: “It was a really good performance today with the right result.

“Everybody that produced and played on that field deserves a lot of credit today for the way they have managed Manchester United and how often we have taken the game to them and created lots of chances to win this game – and finally got the goal that did win it from Lamine.

“Our new players have made a massive contribution since they have been here, but nothing bigger than today with Wahbi’s goal from the free-kick and then his corner and Lamine scoring the winner for us.

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“That hopefully will bode well for the rest of the season.”

Allardyce and his players will now jet off to a warm weather training camp in Dubai with their survival hopes rekindled.

It gives Billy Jones, Younes Kaboul, Sebastian Larsson, Jeremain Lens and Duncan Watmore, who all missed this game through injury – and Jermain Defoe, who passed a late fitness test, time to recover.

He said: “With a result as big as this one, I hope it lifts their confidence brilliantly for the big push to try to get out of the trouble that we are in.”