Alex Neil is not keen on the 'seven cup finals' analogy to describe Sunderland's run-in - but insists he and his players fully understand the importance of each game between now and the end of the season. The Black Cats take on Gillingham at the Stadium of Light tomorrow in the first of seven games which will determine whether the Wearsiders secure a top six finish and a place in the play-offs.
They are one of seven teams with a realistic chance of booking one of the four play-off spots, and with that kind of fierce competition there is little margin for error. Neil says the 'cup final' cliche is inaccurate because these final seven games are not one-off events, however he understands the logic.
"It's not a one-off," he said of tomorrow's game. "After this, we've got six more and then, potentially, if we make the play-offs you could have another three after that.
