Sunderland AFC manager David Moyes, has revealed his decision to leave Didier N'Dong out of the starting XI for Saturday's 0-0 draw with Burnley stating he was looking for "Britishness in the middle".
Would be more suited
Saturday looked to be make or break for the Black Cats in their bid for Premier League survival, as they welcomed Sean Dyche's side who have one of the worst away records in the league.
Moyes decided that in search for only their second win of the year that he would drop N'Dong for Jack Rodwell.
The move was criticised by many with Rodwell adding little to the creativity in the goalless stalemate, but Moyes insisted that he did so to add a British streak in the middle alongside Darron Gibson.
“I decided I wanted Jack and Gibbo together," Moyes confirmed to his post-match press conference. "I thought the game might suit more Britishness in the middle of the pitch."
“I just felt I would go with that in the middle," the Scotsman added. "And the two boys up front.”
Going to need something special
After Saturday's stalemate, the chances of Sunderland's survival in the Premier League seem to be decreasing by the day.
The Black Cats currently sit seven points from safety with ten games, the Black Cats have become known for their late pushes for survival over the last few seasons buy Moyes admitted that it will need to be something special to save them this time around.
'We are getting close to needing something special," Moyes admitted. "It's been done here regularly. Let's hope."
'I'm not kidding anyone on and we haven't done from the start," the manager stressed to the press. "It'll need some really big results."
'We took a point I wanted three points," he concluded. "I see this as two points dropped. I have to use it as something to build on."