Former Newcastle Slayer Fabio Borini Talks Sunderland’s Survival Chances

Fabio Borini, the striker who slayed Newcastle when he played for Sunderland in unforgettable games, has spoken about his former club’s survival chances in their first season back in the Premier League. 

The Black Cats spent big during the summer in the hope of not only surviving but competing with the best. Two wins and a draw from their opening four games has given them an excellent platform, and Borini, who scored the winner with a sensational winner and a penalty, the first in a 3-0 away win against fierce rivals Newcastle, has had his say on whether his former club can survive and thrive. 

Former Newcastle Slayer Fabio Borini Talks Sunderland’s Survival Chances

Fabio Borini Feels Sunderland Recruited Well

Speaking on Sam Allardyce’s podcast No Tippy Tappy Football, Borini had this to say when in discussion with Allardyce, who also knows Sunderland well, having played for them and managed them. He said:   “Yes. They’ve got [Granit] Xhaka, who’s a good leader and a good captain, who can lead the direction to where the club wants to be; you can see that from the outside. You can see that from when he walks on the pitch, the way he carries the team, he’s one of those guys that you want.

“Looking at the squad they had last year, they had to do something, because otherwise relegation is guaranteed. But they did that early, and that’s important to the manager, especially, because you want all the players there in the first couple of weeks of pre-season.

“They did it well. They recruited personality, not just players. It seems to fit well, they’ve built the right things. I think they managed to send a message to the club above on what Sunderland is for those players.

“It’s different, and you really need to understand what the people from Sunderland want, and what they want to see from the players. If you don’t give that, you will never have that special connection with them. I can see that when they play.”

Aston Villa Next For Sunderland

Up next for Sunderland is a visit from out-of-form Aston Villa. The Black Cats will be looking to make it three wins from three home games on Sunday, whereas Villa will be looking to score their first league goal of the season. The visitors are the only team in the top seven leagues in England yet to score a league goal. Will they score on Sunday? A packed Stadium of Light will be hoping to add more misery to their opponents.