Gus Poyet, the Sunderland manager, said his side’s eight-goal thrashing by Southampton was “the most embarrassed I’ve ever been on a pitch, without any doubt” and the Uruguayan admitted that he was at a loss to explain his team’s capitulation. “I thought we were creating something between the team and the supporters – they made a long trip and they deserved better.”
Even Poyet’s Southampton counterpart, Ronald Koeman, confessed to being “a little bit in shock, because 8-0 is not a normal result in the Premier League”.
On an extraordinary afternoon, Sunderland collapsed to their worst defeat since being trounced by Watford by the same score 32 years ago. Their humiliation here began in suitably freakish fashion, with their right-back, Santiago Vergini, lashing the ball into his own net from 18 yards in the 12th minute.
“Even if you watch that 20 times you do not know how it can happen,” said an incredulous Poyet. Liam Bridcutt also turned the ball into his own net, while the other six goals were shared between five Southampton players.
Poyet, to his credit, did not duck the post-match press conference though he suggested that the words he spoke in public were not as biting as the ones he delivered to his players. “This is not an easy conference,” he said. “I need to be very careful what I say … I used the word ‘embarrassing’ because I am trying to be respectful. What I said in the dressing room is private … We started well, everything was going all right but then the second half showed me a lot about individuals. A lot more than you think.”
Poyet vowed to ensure that his team will begin their quest for redemption next Saturday when they host Arsenal. “It’s going to be a difficult week,” he said. “The players who are on the pitch next week are going to do something about it.”
Koeman expressed sympathy for Poyet and acknowledged that Sunderland were the better team in the opening stages but said: “I am very proud of the second half; it was the best I’ve ever seen from this team. We played great football, scored great goals and it was a great game.”
