Liam Manning admits matchwinner Connor Wickham was upset not to start

Posted Sunday, February 20, 2022 by PA

MK Dons boss Liam Manning admitted matchwinner Connor Wickham was disappointed when told he would not be starting against former side Sunderland.

But almost seven years after leaving Wearside, the 28-year-old made the most of his return to his former home as his second-half strike earned the Dons a deserved 2-1 victory that lifted them to within three points of the automatic promotion places in Sky Bet League One.

Leading through Mo Eisa’s strike just after the interval, which came courtesy of an inch-perfect through ball from Josh McEachran, the Dons were pegged back when Ross Stewart glanced home Elliot Embleton’s cross.

Wickham’s 76th-minute finish restored the visitors’ lead, and the second-half substitute almost scored again in stoppage time when he rolled a low shot just past the post.

Manning said: “He (Wickham) was not too happy with me yesterday, with not starting. He’s chomping at the bit, and he’s hungry to play. He’d play 95 minutes every week if he could.

“It’s our job to manage him in the appropriate way. He’s had some high moments in his career, he’s had some tough moments, but today he’s had a special one. I’m delighted for him coming back, but I think he’d be the first to admit that it’s about the team. It’s about the team getting the win, but I’m sure it’s extra sweet for him especially.

“I’m delighted for the lads, and I think it’s a win that really epitomises the group. We’ve said a lot of times this year, I think the foundation of what we do has to be built on a really strong culture.

“When you look at the group, what they showed today is a real resilience. There was a toughness to them and a real intensity to their work. There was a real competitiveness, and that gives you a platform to then be in games. We showed a togetherness, and it was a tough game in which the guys stepped up and delivered.”

The victory means MK Dons now have a five-point cushion to Sunderland, who occupy seventh position having dropped out of the play-off places, but Manning is not looking too far ahead.

He said: “We have to see the bigger picture. When you come to clubs like this, and see some of the other bigger teams in the division, we have to be realistic. I think one of our biggest strengths is that we have a real clarity about who we are and how we approach things.”

Sunderland have imploded dramatically in the last month, with their latest setback meaning they have now gone five games without a win.

Black Cats boss Alex Neil said: “My overwhelming emotion is frustration. I thought in the first half the game was probably more even. I thought they started quite brightly, but I thought we grew into the game.

“Just before half-time we were better, so it was probably 50-50. I thought in the second half, we were the better side. I thought we pinned them in and I thought our defensive structure was excellent.

“We got into good areas, but we risked the ball in the central area and we got counter-attacked twice and lost the game off the back of it. That’s the biggest frustration. Our defensive structure when we were attacking was disappointing for both goals.

“But equally, we gave the ball away cheaply to little or no pressure. That’s certainly my biggest frustration because I thought in terms of structure, strategy and tactics, we got the majority of that right. We just made some silly errors that cost us the match.

“We gave a cheap ball away in the middle of the pitch, and did the same in the first half as well. We play into an area we shouldn’t, and the biggest frustration for us is we spoke all week about not risking the ball in those central areas.

“When we moved the ball from side to side and doubled up on them, we looked like a really good team. But when we then start making rash decisions or poor decisions, it naturally comes back to haunt you. That’s exactly what happened.”