Sunderland are 'arguably' the best team to visit Bloomfield Road all season, according to Blackpool boss Michael Appleton - high praise indeed given the teams his side has faced on home turf. The Black Cats fought out a 1-1 draw with the Seasiders on New Year's Day, recovering after going a goal down to claim a point from a game they could easily have won.
Appleton felt his team also deserved a point from the game, although it only extended their winless run to nine games and it was not enough to lift them out of the Championship relegation zone. But Appleton was complimentary about Sunderland, who dominated the game despite being severely hampered by injuries and illness.
He said Tony Mowbray's men are up there with the best sides his team have faced at home, and that list includes second-placed Sheffield United and third-placed Blackburn Rovers, along with the likes of Norwich City, Middlesbrough, Watford, and in-form Luton Town. "Sunderland are a top team," said Appleton. "I'd arguably say they're the best side that have been here this season.
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"The athleticism, the dynamism of the front four, the way they move the ball, two-touch, it's everything you’d want from a balanced team and squad. Fair play to Tony [Mowbray], he's got them playing well and they're obviously in a good moment so we were playing them in a good spell.
"They're as good as I've seen come here this season."
Blackpool went in front midway through the first half through Shayne Lavery, with Sunderland then hitting the crossbar either side of half-time through first Amad and then Ross Stewart, before Stewart levelled midway through the second period. Appleton said: "I thought for 60-65 minutes we went toe-to-toe with them and it made for a good game, a bit like a game of basketball really.
"But we knew for us to compete and get something from the game it had to be like that. We scored a good goal, a quality goal.
"It was good timing of the pass, good timing of the run and a good finish. Obviously the second goal eluded us but we had a couple of opportunities.
"When they did equalise it became difficult for us but the lads stood up to the pressure, defended excellently at times and because of the way we defended and contributed in the first-half, I felt we deserved a point."
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