SUNDERLAND boss Lee Johnson has blasted the EFL for ‘dangerously’ forcing his Covid hit side to play against Wimbledon.
Bailey Wright earned the depleted Black Cats a point after he levelled Joe Pigott’s first half penalty at the Stadium of Light.
Furious Sunderland boss Lee Johnson has blasted the EFL after the game against Wimbledon went aheadCredit: Getty Images – Getty
But the North East side did not want to play at all after one of their players tested positive for coronavirus, forcing another seven to self-isolate at home – only for the EFL to deny their pleas.
And that left Johnson raging as he was forced to make five changes and name four youngsters on the bench who had played 24 hours earlier for the U23s.
He said: “That game should have been called off, no doubt in my mind.
“That was dangerous for those two sets of players.
“I can’t help but feel angry, frustrated, at moment I am not sure who I am angry at. I had to control the controllables. We didn’t get any help with clarity.”
Bristol Rovers’ clash with Charlton on Tuesday and the weekend’s game against Oxford have been called off after a coronavirus outbreak within The Pirates.
However, Sunderland were told they had to play, with Johnson saying: “We asked the EFL for permission to postpone the game, and were told ‘If you postpone the game you will be up for sanction and you will be investigated’.
“There was then a lack of clarity on exactly what that investigation entails, and the threat of having to potentially forsake the game and give the three points up to Wimbledon, we weren’t willing to take.
Bailey Wright scored a crucial equaliser for short-handed Sunderland in their draw with WimbledonCredit: Rex Features
Joe Pigott had earlier given Wimbledon the lead through a first-half penaltyCredit: Rex Features
“Don’t forget, it was all very quick and rushed. We’ve got our players’ safety to think of, and the safety of the players from Wimbledon as well as the staff. There should be much better protocols in place.
“If the Bristol Rovers one is the same circumstance, then if they get off scot free, somehow we’ve been tucked up.
“If they get deducted the points, then this becomes a good point because we’ve played the game and hustled with players who aren’t fit.
“The EFL won’t give you the funding to do the testing, but then at the same time, they won’t help you out when there’s a circumstance that happens. It’s almost like we’ve been punished for doing the right protocols.”
Sunderland’s night could have got worse at the death when Ryan Longman’s drive cannoned back off it before Terell Thomas fired wide from close-range.
Wimbledon boss Glyn Hodges said: “We are really frustrated. At the end we had two great chances but their equaliser, I’ll have to look at it again, but I felt it was a foul and we did enough to win the game.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
