Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray believes that Everton striker Ellis Simms will rise to the challenge placed in front of him as he continues his loan spell with the club.
Everton allowed the young forward to move to the North East for the 2022/23 campaign in the summer and he has bagged three goals in seven Championship appearances so far. An injury sustained to teammate Ross Stewart means that Simms is now Sunderland's only out-and-out senior striker, which could put more pressure on the 21-year-old to find the back of the net.
Mowbray, who recently took over as Black Cats manager following the departure of Alex Neil, has faith in Simms o step up to the task at hand. He wants the Blues loanee to work hard for the side, but also be selfish enough to get himself into the right areas to score goals for the team.
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Mowbray told the Northern Echo : "I think Ellis will rise to the challenge. As long as he does not put too much of a burden on himself . That’s why the rest have to step up as well.
"I think for Ellis, the biggest challenge is to play between the sticks when the chances are created. I would never tell him not to work hard, but sometimes strikers who work too hard taking themselves away from the goal and chasing down channels, they are the ones crossing the damn thing when they should be in the middle putting it in the net.
"That is my message to him really. Be a bit more selfish, between the sticks. You have to work hard, and I am sure he will because it is in his nature, but be selfish enough to get in between the posts and finish the chances off.
"How did (Pep) Guardiola change (Raheem) Sterling from a five, six or seven goals per season player into a 25-30 goal-a-season striker? I don’t think he was teaching him anything about where he put his feet, it was about where he had to be. And basically, he now plays between the sticks and scores tap-ins every season.
"We have to get Ellis between the posts, whether he bundles the ball into the net or heads it . He just has to be there to finish it."
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