Young goalkeeper Anthony Patterson has retained his place in the Sunderland side on merit, says boss Alex Neil. Academy graduate Patterson took over the gloves when Thorben Hoffmann took time out to undergo blood tests following illness last month.
On-loan Bayern Munich stopper Hoffmann sat out two games but is now fit again, however he has been unable to displace Patterson and has had to settle for a place on the bench for the last three matches. And in the meantime Patterson has impressed, keeping Sunderland in the game against Burton Albion a week ago which set the stage for the Black Cats to snatch a late point, while at Wigan on Saturday he made a terrific save from Callum Lang in the second half to help preserve a clean sheet as the Wearsiders reignited their play-off challenge with a 3-0 win.
Neil has been in charge for the last four games meaning he is yet to see Hoffmann in match action, and Patterson's performances make it unlikely the 21-year-old will be dropped any time soon. "Patterson is in the team because he deserves to be in the team," said Neil.
"It's not relative to anyone else. In the last game [against Burton], he probably made a kick that he shouldn't have done but he's still a young kid and he's learning.
"And I thought his management of the game on Saturday was excellent, he made saves when we needed him to, and I thought he came and collected a few crosses when we needed him to as well. He should be full of confidence after that and hopefully can continue on from there."
Patterson made a few appearances for Sunderland back in August when Lee Burge was out injured and before Hoffmann had arrived, before the German took over as number one. Patterson was then sent out on loan to National League Notts County to gain regular match practice, but he was recalled in early January and started two games when both Hoffmann and Burge were struck down by Covid.
The original plan was for him to resume his loan at Notts County but Burge has been suffering with a heart condition which meant Patterson was needed as backup to Hoffmann, and then when he went down with illness it propelled Patterson back into the starting line-up at Cheltenham and he has kept his place ever since.
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