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EFL PUNDIT JOBI MCANUFF SAYS THE UNDERDOGS CAN TRIUMPH IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP FINALE CLIVE YOULTON 21:01, 23 May 2025Updated 08:25, 24 May 2025 Sunderland's dramatic play-off semi-final
win over Coventry City will have given them belief they can beat Sheffield United in Saturday’s Championship final. That is the opinion of former Reading and Crystal Palace winger Jobi
McAnuff, now a Sky Sports pundit and EFL expert. The Black Cats scored a last-minute goal against the Sky Blues to secure a 3-2 aggregate win and McAnuff, who lost a Championship final with
Reading in 2011 before winning promotion the following season, thinks that could strengthen their resolve. “Sunderland have the emotional story, the euphoria of that last-minute goal from
Dan Ballard,” McAnuff told the BBC’s EFL podcast 72+. “That’s hard to quantify because, on the balance of play, they weren’t the better team over the two legs but they found a way to win so
you’re bringing that belief you can win a game regardless of how they played.” Coventry bossed the possession against the Black Cats over the course of the semi-final and enjoyed 74 per cent
in the first leg home defeat to Regis Le Bris’ side. McAnuff thinks it could be hard to beat the Blades if they play the same way at Wembley. “I think Sunderland have shown the togetherness
and belief to get through the semi-final – I just feel they need to keep the ball better so they’re not doing as much work off the ball as they can be tough days if you’re not seeing a lot
of it,” he added. Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris, meanwhile, is less worried about tactics and more about the mindset of his players. As a young team, the Frenchman knows they could be
overawed by the occasion but has belief in his squad. Article continues below The way his players have bought into the rotation policy has been key for Le Bris who said: “We can talk about
balance and tactics but probably one of the strongest qualities is this mindset. The way they are connected and how they can manage different emotions. "Whether they are a starter or a
non-starter, when they would like to play but don’t play and so on. They stay consistent and connected and probably it’s our main strength.” On Sheffield United he added; “We know they have
many good players and good options, so they can manage different shapes and offsensives, also from the bench, so we will have to be ready and we will need to adapt.”