There were many questions asked about how Vito Mannone coped with Benik Afobe’s header in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth, however, the Italian has received Allardyce’s full backing following the incident, writes The Sunderland Echo.
The goalkeeper has been confirmed as the number 1 for the Mackems yet again, following a spell on the sidelines standing in the shadows of the now departed Costel Pantilimon. Youth product Jordan Pickford will be second to the former Arsenal keeper, even after most fans and pundits say his error cost the Black Cats from taking all three points in what was a must-win for the relegation-threatened side.
Allardyce has however defended the 27-year old’s actions, saying that his saves for the remainder of the game angered the visitors:
I don’t think he could have got a stronger hand to such a great header at close range. Getting a hand on it was an achievement in itself. It’s just a great shame that he didn’t get it around the post, because it would have gone down as one of the saves of the season. We should have done a lot better with the cross, and he (Afobe) has got in front of John (O’Shea) to get the header in. You can’t blame Vito for that goal, for me, for such a close-range header.
Allardyce also spoke in the interview about the new third team keeper Steve Harper, who joined Sunderland last week on a short-term deal. The Geordie legend has been available on a Bosman since his release from Steve Bruce’s Hull City last Summer, and the manager said it was a very straight forward decision to bring him to Wearside:
It was never going to be a problem with Steve coming here as the back-up to Pick and Vito in case anything happened. I’ve known him a long time, spoke to Brucey (Hull boss Steve Bruce) about him and he had four clean sheets in the last nine games for Hull. We do need him and with his experience, he’ll be there.
