Newcastle winger linked with shock move as Chris Coleman plots Sunderland home win

The anniversary of Sunderland's last home win is fast approaching but Chris Coleman is not dwelling on the dismal home form.
Sunderland manager Chris Coleman. Picture by Frank Reid.Sunderland manager Chris Coleman. Picture by Frank Reid.
Sunderland manager Chris Coleman. Picture by Frank Reid.

Sunderland, who haven’t won at the Stadium of Light since beating Watford on December 17, have gone 20 games without a home win - a new English record.

The dire record has been well documented but Coleman says his players have to put the surroundings out of their mind ahead of the visit of Reading.

Sunderland manager Chris Coleman. Picture by Frank Reid.Sunderland manager Chris Coleman. Picture by Frank Reid.
Sunderland manager Chris Coleman. Picture by Frank Reid.
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December could prove a pivotal month with three of the next four Championship games at home. After Reading, Sunderland travel to Wolves before back-to-back home games against Fulham and Birmingham City.

"I’m not going to make a big thing about the Stadium of Light, everybody else does that," said Coleman.

"I will be saying to the players that this is another game, it’s 90 minutes, you’re up against 11 men, everything is the same. The surroundings, you have to put out of our mind if we think it is going to turn into a negative.

"It is such a fantastic stadium. Of course, it does not belong at the level where it is, but that’s where we are and that’s what we have got.

Sunderland manager Chris Coleman. Picture by Frank Reid.Sunderland manager Chris Coleman. Picture by Frank Reid.
Sunderland manager Chris Coleman. Picture by Frank Reid.
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"All we can do is walk on to the grass and affect our situation.

"Forget everything else and build on last weekend. It’s just another challenge and one we must meet."

Meanwhile, Sunderland have been linked with a loan move for Newcastle winger Alex Gilliead. Championship sides Hull City, Millwall and the Black Cats have scouted the 21-year-old, report the Evening Chronicle.

Gilliead is currently on loan at League One Bradford City, where he has scored once in 21 games.

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As exclusively revealed by the Echo, Coleman is weighing up a January loan swoop for Liverpool duo goalkeeper Danny Ward and forward Ben Woodburn.

Ward broke into the senior Wales set-up during Coleman’s reign and impressed during a season-long loan at Huddersfield Town while Woodburn exploded onto the international scene this year.