Henderson and Lewis-Skelly react to Jobe Bellingham’s Sunderland message
Sunderland and Jobe Bellingham could be just 90 minutes away from the Premier League as their Championship play-off campaign continues.
The Black Cats left their heroics until late in Tuesday’s semi-final second leg against Coventry City at the Stadium of Light, after Ephron Mason-Clark’s 76th-minute goal levelled the scoreboard on aggregate.
Sunderland couldn’t find a way back and went beyond the 90 at 2-2 after last week’s victory at the CBS Arena, but Dan Ballard’s header in injury time of extra time won it on aggregate for Regis Le Bris’ side.
Sheffield United await at Wembley for Sunderland after Ballard’s goal resulted in a 3-2 aggregate victory, but after the Blades beat Bristol City 6-0 over two legs, the Black Cats will still have a mountain to climb.
Bellingham rallies Sunderland fans with Wembley message
Sunderland and Sheffield United stand on the brink of glory as the pair look to end eight and one-year periods outside the Premier League on 24 May, and plenty of eyes will be on both team’s star players.
Gustavo Hamer may have won the Championship’s player of the year award, but it’s arguable the biggest name on the field will be Bellingham, whose performances for the Black Cats have turned heads aplenty.
Bellingham was the recipient of the young player of the year award by the EFL, and has been linked with Premier League moves to the likes of Chelsea regardless of whether Sunderland win promotion this term.
| Sunderland | Statistics | Coventry |
| 1 | Goals | 1 |
| 1.05 | xG | 1.63 |
| 4 / 16 | Shots on Target | 2 / 20 |
| 41% | Possession | 59% |
| 7 | Corners | 10 |
The 19-year-old remains fully focused on the task at hand though, and posted on Instagram at full-time (13 May) in a look ahead to Sunderland’s most pivotal match in over a decade at the end of the month.
In a post liked by fellow teenage starlet Myles Lewis-Skelly and veteran ex-Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson, Bellingham said: “What a team, what a club, what a place and what a night.
“An absolute pleasure, as always. See you at Wembley, Mackems!”
Wembley showdown crucial for Bellingham’s Sunderland future
Bellingham is far from the first youngster whose reputation has gone through the roof at Sunderland, and Man United winger Amad Diallo’s fondness for his former loan club has been made clear this week.
The teenager could follow his brother Jude with a move from the Championship to the Bundesliga amid interest from RB Leipzig this summer, but this is only likely to happen if Sunderland lose the play-off final.
Clubs in the lower reaches of the Premier League such as Manchester United have also eyed up the midfielder ahead of the summer transfer window, but wherever Bellingham plays on next season will hinge entirely on the outcome at Wembley.