Alex Neil says his Sunderland players will have learned a valuable lesson following Coventry City's late equaliser last weekend. The Black Cats looked to be on course for a winning return to the Championship after Jack Clarke's early goal put them in the driving seat against the Sky Blues at the Stadium of Light.
But Coventry's Sweden international Viktor Gyokeres made the most of a yard of space outside the penalty area to turn and pick out the bottom corner to level things up six minutes from time. Going into the season Neil had warned that playing at the higher level meant coming up against teams that would be more ruthless with any chances - or even half-chances - that come their way, compared to the sides that Sunderland had faced in recent years in League One.
And the manner of Coventry's equaliser proved his point. "That's what I was meaning," said Neil, whose side travels to Ashton Gate tomorrow to take on Bristol City.
